sufficient

American  

[suh-fish-uhnt] / səˈfɪʃ ənt /

adjective

1. adequate for the purpose; enough.

   sufficient proof;

   sufficient protection.

   Antonyms:

   inadequate, scant, meager

2. Logic. (of a condition) such that its existence leads to the occurrence of a given event or the existence of a given thing.

3. Archaic. competent.

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sufficient British  

/ səˈfɪʃənt /

adjective

1. enough to meet a need or purpose; adequate

2. logic (of a condition) assuring the truth of a statement; requiring but not necessarily required by some other state of affairs Compare necessary

3. archaic competent; capable

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noun

1. a sufficient quantity

Other Word Forms

• oversufficient
  adjective
• presufficient
  adjective
• quasi-sufficient
  adjective
• supersufficient
  adjective
• oversufficiently
  adverb
• presufficiently
  adverb
• quasi-sufficiently
  adverb
• sufficiently
  adverb
• supersufficiently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of sufficient

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin sufficient-, stem of sufficiēns “supplying,” present participle of sufficere “to supply, suffice,” equivalent to suf- suf- + -ficere, combining form of facere “to do, make”; see suffice

Explanation

If you have a sufficient amount of something, it's enough — not too much, not too little, just right. Goldilocks would be pleased. Sufficient comes from a Latin verb meaning "to meet the need." If something is sufficient it has met, or satisfied, a need. Enough is often used as a synonym for sufficient, and when something is not sufficient, it is too little to take care of what's needed. Sufficient can, however, also suggest just enough and not an abundance, as in "the money was sufficient for groceries, but we needed more to fill the gas tank."

Example Sentences

Until now, these operators "could not be sure of obtaining sufficient network usage rights", it added.

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

Justices said the Trump administration hadn’t provided Cook sufficient due process for her to contest her removal on allegations of mortgage fraud.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

Adults who have sufficient funds will be asked to pay off the sum over time under new rules included in the upcoming Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will be put before Parliament on Tuesday.

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

Nor did the Haitian respondents provide sufficient evidence that the contentious statements Trump and Noem made demonstrate that racial animus motivated the termination of Haitians’ TPS, the court held.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2026

Nevertheless, the force was sufficient to spin Butler like an ice-skater, landing him on his rump for the second time in as many minutes.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

Related Words

• acceptable
• ample
• plentiful
• satisfactory
• tolerable