suffice

[ suh-fahys, -fahyz ]

/ səˈfaɪs, -ˈfaɪz /

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See synonyms for: suffice / sufficing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), suf·ficed, suf·fic·ing.

to be enough or adequate, as for needs, purposes, etc.

verb (used with object), suf·ficed, suf·fic·ing.

to be enough or adequate for; satisfy.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of suffice

1275–1325; Middle English sufficen<Latin sufficere to supply, suffice, equivalent to suf-suf- + -ficere, combining form of facere to make, do¹; replacing Middle English suffisen<Old French <Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM suffice

un·suf·fic·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use suffice in a sentence

Because women are no longer barred from combat roles, he said, Congress’s justification for excluding females that had persuaded the Supreme Court in 1981 no longer sufficed.
Groups ask Supreme Court to declare the all-male military draft unconstitutional|Robert Barnes|February 18, 2021|Washington Post
On its own, Ingenuity won’t be critical for exploring Mars, but its success could pave the way for engineers to think about new ways to explore other planets when a rover or lander will not suffice.
NASA’s Perseverance rover is about to start searching for life on Mars|Neel Patel|February 17, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Aim for a blanket that is roughly 10% of your body weight, but anywhere between 7 to 12% will suffice.
Best weighted blanket: Sleep like a baby with our comfy bedding picks|PopSci Commerce Team|February 12, 2021|Popular-Science
We’ll spoil specific details further down, but suffice it to say that there’s a reason that Jensen Ackles, who plays Dean, said over a year ago that he’d had “so much trouble” with the ending.
Supernatural’s bonkers series finale marked the end of an era of fandom|Aja Romano|November 20, 2020|Vox

The guidance goes on to include some sample scenarios where it suggests supplementary measures might suffice to render an international transfer legal.
Europe puts out advice on fixing international data transfers that’s cold comfort for Facebook|Natasha Lomas|November 11, 2020|TechCrunch
It suffices to say that nothing has happened on this score, and I would be shocked to see that change in 2014.
The Biggest Broken Promises from Last Year’s State of the Union|Jamelle Bouie|January 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most of us like ourselves very much, and that suffices to explain self-assessments that are biased in a particular direction.
Daniel Kahneman Talks Intuition and Optimism With Sam Harris|Sam Harris|November 30, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Usually, the weaving eloquence of Ferrara's filmmaking suffices to draw one in.
Trailer Park|The Daily Beast Video|October 1, 2009|DAILY BEAST
A very slight movement of the armature disc J, therefore, suffices to open to the full extent two long exhaust passages.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
It is probable, and it suffices; and stories about this dry sea may easily have been spread by Venetian sailors.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems|Geoffrey Chaucer
A reading desk on the opposite side, standing upon a small platform, suffices for the pulpit.
Our Churches and Chapels|Atticus
Besides, there is no necessity for fire to be in earth; light suffices (to make it visible).
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 3|Plotinos (Plotinus)
At morning and noon a little flour of millet and honey suffices for the meals.
Life of Schamyl|John Milton Mackie

British Dictionary definitions for suffice

suffice

/ (səˈfaɪs) /

verb

to be adequate or satisfactory for (something)

suffice it to say that (takes a clause as object) let us say no more than that; I shall just say that

Derived forms of suffice

sufficer, noun

Word Origin for suffice

C14: from Old French suffire, from Latin sufficere from sub- below + facere to make

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

suffice

Origin of suffice

OTHER WORDS FROM suffice

Words related to suffice

How to use suffice in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for suffice

Derived forms of suffice

Word Origin for suffice