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enough

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adjective

enough

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective enough contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enough are adequate, competent, and sufficient. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

do you have enough food?

When would adequate be a good substitute for enough?

Although the words adequate and enough have much in common, adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

the service was adequate

When is it sensible to use competent instead of enough?

The words competent and enough can be used in similar contexts, but competent suggests measuring up to all requirements without question or being adequately adapted to an end.

had no competent notion of what was going on

When is sufficient a more appropriate choice than enough?

The synonyms sufficient and enough are sometimes interchangeable, but sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

sufficient savings

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enough
Adverb
Bryant will also be able to focus on just one race after his fourth place finish — yes, that again — in the 300 hurdles in 39.08 was not good enough to advance. Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2025 While information about Chicano culture has increased, those who are steadfast enough to withstand the stares and learn about the underlying values are the ones who last, Thao said. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
Adjective
Part of the issue stems from the fact that Julia isn’t a sturdy enough anchor; her character at times feels flat. Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 25 May 2025 Everybody’s just trying to do enough to get by, and that just wears you out. Bailey Richards, People.com, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for enough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enough
Adverb
  • Nobody really changes, nobody really learns anything and at the start of every episode the characters pretty much exactly the same.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 June 2025
  • This should sound pretty familiar to Costco shoppers, as store associates already check receipts on the way out the door.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 3 June 2025
Adverb
  • In addition, and quite importantly, the interactive nature of generative AI makes a huge difference too.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • While the former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills hasn’t quite found his footing in the league just yet, the early returns have been positive enough to give the coaching staff more confidence in a depleted cornerback room at the moment.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • About 1 inch of water, including rainfall, is usually sufficient for vegetable gardens.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • Nonetheless, there is a satisfying, compact completeness to their handling of the storylines of four different young mothers and sufficient grace notes are enabled in each case to stave off the cliches that occasionally threaten to engulf events.
    Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Although the test is too late to guide current crop fertilization, the post-harvest evaluation can estimate N sufficiency levels during the corn growing season and provide a valuable tool for fine-tuning future nitrogen management strategies.
    Dr. Haiying Tao, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2025
  • At the same time, in keeping with the principle of reasonable sufficiency, Moscow will likely delegate most ground warfare to its allies.
    Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2015
Adverb
  • Harry Bertoia Bar Stools from Knoll (Set of 2) $1,500 1stDibs These Harry Bertoia stools spotted on 1stDibs are the type of seats that can be dressed up or down—or left alone to be adequately admired.
    Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
  • Élites who do not adequately submit are often destroyed—but leaders who fail to protect the élite are also prone to be overthrown.
    Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Adverb
  • Rival electric car company Xpeng is due Wednesday to release the Max version of its relatively popular Mona M03 car.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 26 May 2025
  • Rethinking Returns on Investment The modern belief that science must deliver measurable economic returns is, historically speaking, a relatively recent development.
    John Drake, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
Adverb
  • The 30-year-old actor’s longevity is clearly due to his willingness to fully commit to his characters, no matter how ridiculous.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 27 May 2025
  • Quanta has invested $15 million in renovating the complex and creating extra stages and plans to have a total of 15 fully operational studios in Polo Rio by March 2026.
    Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • This will give you adequate time to find the perfect viewing location and watch the sun glide between the skyscrapers.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 27 May 2025
  • Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels has benefits, including: Bone health: Women reach peak bone mass around 30.
    Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enough. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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