Synonyms

adequately

American

[ad-i-kwit-lee] / ˈæd ɪ kwɪt li /

adverb

in a way that is sufficient, suitable, effective, or appropriate.

The professor’s vague response failed to adequately answer our questions.
The clinic needs to be appropriately staffed with permanently employed and adequately trained personnel.

Other Word Forms

preadequately adverb
quasi-adequately adverb
superadequately adverb

Etymology

Origin of adequately

adequate ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Higher energy costs, higher interest rates and shifting economic paradigms from the AI-investment cycle are creating both winners and losers that the credit markets struggle to discount adequately.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Health experts have raised concerns about the chemicals used in them, with warnings that their long-term use has not been adequately studied.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Compounding all three is a risk that futures markets aren’t adequately pricing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Energy markets aren’t adequately pricing the oil supply shock caused by the war in Iran, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said Monday at S&P Global’s annual CERAWeek conference in Houston.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

They were unpleasant enough, these private inquisitions, but I cannot find words to adequately express the torments I suffered when he chose to ply this art of his in public.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023