inadequate
Americanadjective
-
not good enough for the purpose; inept or unsuitable.
This old tent they gave us is completely inadequate—it’s equally bad at keeping out both the rain and the bugs!
- Synonyms:
- imperfect , defective , incommensurate , incompetent , inapt , incomplete
- Antonyms:
- sufficient
-
not sufficient for the purpose; not enough.
The set of linens we received was so inadequate, we were asking friends for a loan of napkins and tablecloths.
-
Psychiatry. ineffectual in response to emotional, social, intellectual, and physical demands in the absence of any obvious mental or physical deficiency.
adjective
-
not adequate; insufficient
-
not capable or competent; lacking
Other Word Forms
- inadequacy noun
- inadequately adverb
Etymology
Origin of inadequate
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.
It found women frequently reported feelings of isolation and guilt following miscarriage stemming from social stigma and inadequate support.
From BBC
What she did not know was that FNA tests are not considered best practice for breast biopsies, because they can produce inadequate samples, and lead to the risk of missed, incomplete or delayed diagnoses.
From BBC
An official audit of the museum published shortly after the heist highlighted the institution's inadequate security systems and ageing infrastructure.
From BBC
This may lead to inadequate consumption of choline and other key nutrients.
From Science Daily
The reforms will tackle perceived problems including excessive concentration of universities in Tbilisi, duplication of programmes and inadequate state funding.
From BBC
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.
