adequacy
noun
ad·e·qua·cy
ˈa-di-kwə-sē 
plural adequacies
: the quality or state of being adequate
Did you know?
When we question the adequacy of health-care coverage, or parking facilities, or school funding, we're asking if they are equal to our need. The adjective adequate means "enough" or "acceptable"—though in sentences like "His performance was adequate", it really means "no better than acceptable".
Examples of adequacy in a Sentence
the fire department sent someone to determine the adequacy of the building's evacuation plan
Recent Examples on the Web
Those cracks hadn't been caught in regular maintenance done on the plane, which raised questions about the adequacy of the maintenance schedule.
—
CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Those cracks hadn’t been caught in regular maintenance done on the plane, which raised questions about the adequacy of the maintenance schedule.
—Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
For the better part of eight years after Super Bowl 50, the Broncos were an organization with delusions of adequacy, fielding mediocre teams with major problems with ownership drama, mismanaged rosters, ghost drafts and an endless carousel of underwhelming quarterbacks.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
In his first lead movie role, Tim Robinson plays Craig Waterman, a man whose life of suburban adequacy is disrupted when local weatherman Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd) moves in down the street and platonically sweeps Craig off his feet.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adequacy
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CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Those cracks hadn’t been caught in regular maintenance done on the plane, which raised questions about the adequacy of the maintenance schedule.
—Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
For the better part of eight years after Super Bowl 50, the Broncos were an organization with delusions of adequacy, fielding mediocre teams with major problems with ownership drama, mismanaged rosters, ghost drafts and an endless carousel of underwhelming quarterbacks.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 11 Jan. 2026
In his first lead movie role, Tim Robinson plays Craig Waterman, a man whose life of suburban adequacy is disrupted when local weatherman Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd) moves in down the street and platonically sweeps Craig off his feet.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adequacy
Cite this Entry
“Adequacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adequacy. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adequacy
noun
ad·e·qua·cy
ˈad-i-kwə-sē
plural adequacies
: the quality or state of being adequate
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