inadequate
[ in-ad-i-kwit ]
/ ɪnˈæd ɪ kwɪt /
Save This Word!
adjective
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!
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.
OTHER WORDS FOR inadequate
QUIZ
ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ
There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!
Question 1 of 7
True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.
OTHER WORDS FROM inadequate
in·ad·e·quate·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use inadequate in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for inadequate
inadequate
/ (ɪnˈædɪkwɪt) /
adjective
not adequate; insufficient
not capable or competent; lacking
Derived forms of inadequate
inadequacy, nouninadequately, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012