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.
Zaslav sends a letter to David Ellison saying Warner’s board unanimously rejects Paramount’s offer as “inadequate.”
From Los Angeles Times
However, the judge said the CAA's application for a private prosecution had been "wholly inadequate" when it came to disclosing her social media activity towards him.
From BBC
Warner Bros. board urged shareholders to reject Paramount’s offer, which includes $54 billion in debt commitments, deeming it “inferior” and “inadequate.”
From Los Angeles Times
Their family say the cells are overcrowded, unsanitary and vermin-infested, with inadequate washing facilities and hygiene supplies.
From BBC
The amount of aid entering Gaza remains inadequate.
From Barron's
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.
