insufficient

American  

[in-suh-fish-uhnt] / ˌɪn səˈfɪʃ ənt /

adjective

1. not sufficient; lacking in what is necessary or required.

   an insufficient answer.

   Synonyms:

   deficient, scanty, inadequate

2. deficient in force, quality, or amount; inadequate.

   insufficient protection.

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insufficient British  

/ ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃənt /

adjective

1. not sufficient; inadequate or deficient

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Other Word Forms

• insufficiently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of insufficient

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin insufficient-, stem of insufficiēns; equivalent to in- ³ + sufficient

Explanation

If something is insufficient, it isn't enough. A high school diploma is very helpful for getting a job, but by itself, it's probably insufficient to land you a job as an astronaut. Something adequate is sufficient, and something inadequate is insufficient (in- meaning "not"). If you have $100 in the bank and you try to use a debit card for a $102 purchase, even though you’re close to having enough, your funds are insufficient to cover the sale. Anything that falls short of a required amount or expected measure is insufficient, whether it's the amount of air in a bike tire or the votes needed to win an election.

Related Words

• deficient
• faulty
• inadequate
• incomplete
• meager
• poor
• scant
• scarce
• unsatisfactory