sufficient

American  

[suh-fish-uhnt] / səˈfɪʃ ənt /

adjective

1. adequate for the purpose; enough.

   sufficient proof;

   sufficient protection.

   Antonyms:

   inadequate, scant, meager

2. Logic. (of a condition) such that its existence leads to the occurrence of a given event or the existence of a given thing.

3. Archaic. competent.

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sufficient British  

/ səˈfɪʃənt /

adjective

1. enough to meet a need or purpose; adequate

2. logic (of a condition) assuring the truth of a statement; requiring but not necessarily required by some other state of affairs Compare necessary

3. archaic competent; capable

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noun

1. a sufficient quantity

Other Word Forms

• oversufficient
  adjective
• presufficient
  adjective
• quasi-sufficient
  adjective
• supersufficient
  adjective
• oversufficiently
  adverb
• presufficiently
  adverb
• quasi-sufficiently
  adverb
• sufficiently
  adverb
• supersufficiently
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of sufficient

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin sufficient-, stem of sufficiēns “supplying,” present participle of sufficere “to supply, suffice,” equivalent to suf- suf- + -ficere, combining form of facere “to do, make”; see suffice

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Explanation

If you have a sufficient amount of something, it's enough — not too much, not too little, just right. Goldilocks would be pleased. Sufficient comes from a Latin verb meaning "to meet the need." If something is sufficient it has met, or satisfied, a need. Enough is often used as a synonym for sufficient, and when something is not sufficient, it is too little to take care of what's needed. Sufficient can, however, also suggest just enough and not an abundance, as in "the money was sufficient for groceries, but we needed more to fill the gas tank."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sufficient

Voice recognition is sufficient for less sensitive requests, like playing music or making an AirTag ring.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

But those are unlikely to be sufficient to protect the entire country, analysts say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Because several bacterial species may contribute to the same disease, methods designed to target a single pathogen may not be sufficient.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

But it added that it is important any new NHS records, if created, contain sufficient information to allow for a continuity of care.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

Then the scanty supply of food was distressing: with the keen appetites of growing children, we had scarcely sufficient to keep alive a delicate invalid.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

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Related Words

• acceptable
• ample
• plentiful
• satisfactory
• tolerable

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