inadequacy
Americannoun
-
Also inadequateness the state or condition of being inadequate; insufficiency.
-
something inadequate; defect.
The plan has many inadequacies.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of inadequacy
First recorded in 1780–90; inadequ(ate) + -acy
Explanation
An inadequacy is something that is not enough. If you get a bad grade, it may reveal an inadequacy in your approach to studying. The syllable qua in inadequacy rhymes with duh, and the accent is on the second syllable: "in-AD-uh-quh-see." You know that in- means "not," and the suffix y means "the quality or state of." But what is that middle part? Adaequare is the Latin word for "to make equal." So, inadequacy is the state of not being equal — or enough — for something.
Vocabulary lists containing inadequacy
Novel Study: Freedom Walkers
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Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015) Tribute List
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Vocabulary Review, Unit 1
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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.
See Examples For:
Ms. Majok captures the sardonic tone of the book as it depicts the inadequacy and vagueness endemic to treatment of psychological problems at the time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Lidl was not able to pass the inadequacy test for a standard off-licence.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
He said they talked to wives separated from husbands and their kids and the most frequent feedback they got “was the inadequacy of the medical care they were receiving.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 2026
The nine-page text addresses the main flashpoints in Belem: trade measures, demands for greater finance for poorer nations, and the inadequacy of national carbon-cutting pledges.
From Barron's ● Nov. 18, 2025
Guilt and feelings of inadequacy could consume him.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
“Marilyn’s reading formed a concerted effort to overcome any inadequacies she perceived in herself,” Crowther writes.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2026
But in practice, it has often led to long environmental reports, studies and reviews, that are sometimes followed by lawsuits over possible inadequacies that can require a restart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2025
“Most of the problems with core statistics result from inadequacies in the way ONS has made decisions, planned and budgeted, and managed risks,” the review concluded.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2025
Some survivors say they heard no alarm, while there have been claims of inadequacies in the hotel's fire extinguishing systems.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2025
“Except that a robot might fail due to the inherent inadequacies of his brain. The positronic brain has never equalled the complexities of the human brain.”
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
Definitions 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.
