adequately
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of adequately
Explanation
Something has been done adequately when basic requirements are fulfilled. Passing your driver's test probably means you parallel parked adequately; if not, you may have knocked over some cones. The adverb adequately is a synonym for sufficiently, or suitably. If you've adequately fulfilled your course requirements, you're probably neither the best nor the worst student in the class. But you've definitely done well enough that you can pass — so doing something adequately is generally a positive thing, unless you're an overachiever, in which case you might not like that description at all!
Vocabulary lists containing adequately
The Giver
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Word Generation Weekly - Series 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jane Doe also alleged that her sorority failed “to adequately train its designated sober monitors.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
"Further work would have to be undertaken to make sure that all environmental concerns today are met and adequately responded to, but something has to be done about congestion."
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
He urged AI labs to "listen when your scientists warn of severe dangers, investigate unexpected behaviours, and if you can't adequately control the risks, do not release the system".
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Bass and the council members blamed the CoC for not planning adequately for a large audience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026
After none of the machines adequately cooled the room, one of Garfield's doctors contacted Professor Simon Newcomb, a scientist and mathematician who worked for the U. S. Navy.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
