adequate
adjective
ad·e·quate
ˈa-di-kwət 
1
: sufficient for a specific need or requirement
adequate time
an amount of money adequate to supply their needs
also
: good enough : of a quality that is good or acceptable
a machine that does an adequate job
: of a quality that is acceptable but not better than acceptable
Her first performance was merely adequate.
2
: lawfully and reasonably sufficient
adequate grounds for a lawsuit
adequateness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of adequate in a Sentence
Then, during the spring and summer, allow adequate recovery by taking one or two days off the bike each week and scaling back the intensity of your rides one week out of every month.
—
Selene Yeager, Bicycling, January/February 2008
… they are adequate for almost any computing need.
—Michael Meyer, Newsweek, 26 Oct. 1998
… the government would have to bail out any bidder with less adequate resources …
—The Economist, 30 Aug.-5 Sept. 1986
The garden hasn't been getting adequate water.
The food was more than adequate for the six of us.
The school lunch should be adequate to meet the nutritional needs of growing children.
The machine does an adequate job.
The tent should provide adequate protection from the elements.
The quality of his work was perfectly adequate.
Your grades are adequate but I think you can do better.
The quality of his work was only adequate.
Selene Yeager, Bicycling, January/February 2008
… they are adequate for almost any computing need.
—Michael Meyer, Newsweek, 26 Oct. 1998
… the government would have to bail out any bidder with less adequate resources …
—The Economist, 30 Aug.-5 Sept. 1986
The garden hasn't been getting adequate water.
The food was more than adequate for the six of us.
The school lunch should be adequate to meet the nutritional needs of growing children.
The machine does an adequate job.
The tent should provide adequate protection from the elements.
The quality of his work was perfectly adequate.
Your grades are adequate but I think you can do better.
The quality of his work was only adequate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Children are living in tents without adequate access to safe water, sanitation or adequate protection from the elements.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson said with recent staff increases at the 911 call center, there should be adequate staffing during the arctic blast unless weather conditions make travel challenging.
—Skye Seipp, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024
The company identified material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting due to domination of management by a single individual without adequate compensating controls.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024
Their vocals are clear and strong and supple to a degree many of us have learned not to expect after too many movie musicals that cast merely adequate singers and then Auto-Tune them to death.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for adequate 
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Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Interim Police Chief Robin Henderson said with recent staff increases at the 911 call center, there should be adequate staffing during the arctic blast unless weather conditions make travel challenging.
—Skye Seipp, Austin American-Statesman, 21 Nov. 2024
The company identified material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting due to domination of management by a single individual without adequate compensating controls.
—Quartz Bot, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024
Their vocals are clear and strong and supple to a degree many of us have learned not to expect after too many movie musicals that cast merely adequate singers and then Auto-Tune them to death.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for adequate
Dictionary Entries Near adequate
Cite this Entry
“Adequate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adequate. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adequate
adjective
ad·e·quate
ˈad-i-kwət
1
: suitable or enough for a requirement
food and water adequate for six people
2
: good enough
your grades are barely adequate
adequately
adverb
adequateness
noun
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