as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
an inadequate amount of food on hand for so many unexpected guests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 inadequate
Maternity policies that aim to fill in income gaps are often inadequate, according to WEF figures.
—
Meera Senthilingam, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
The region also has the highest percentage of births in which the mothers received inadequate prenatal care.
—Elizabeth Cohen, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
The original Fyre Festival, launched in 2017 with rapper Ja Rule, was meant to be a luxurious music festival experience on the island of Great Exuma but turned into a disaster, leaving attendees stranded with inadequate food, shelter, and medical services.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
The cafeteria had inadequate hot water at the time of inspection on Feb. 4.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inadequate
Meera Senthilingam, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
The region also has the highest percentage of births in which the mothers received inadequate prenatal care.
—Elizabeth Cohen, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
The original Fyre Festival, launched in 2017 with rapper Ja Rule, was meant to be a luxurious music festival experience on the island of Great Exuma but turned into a disaster, leaving attendees stranded with inadequate food, shelter, and medical services.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
The cafeteria had inadequate hot water at the time of inspection on Feb. 4.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inadequate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadequate
Adjective
-
With only 28 physicians per 10,000 people as of 2019, the current provider-to-patient ratio is insufficient, and The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.5 providers per 1,000 people are needed for adequate primary care.—
Waqaas Al-siddiq,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
-
And, according to Trump and Vice President JD Vance, the entitled Zelenskyy showed insufficient gratitude for the billions of dollars in U.S. aid that Ukraine has received following the Russian invasion.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
When football resumed, money was scarce and plans for a new bridge into Salford and a car park were delayed.—
Michael Walker,
The Athletic,
15 Mar. 2025
-
The bottom line: Fintech IPOs have been scarce, but a successful Klarna listing could lead to more.—
Ryan Lawler,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, making this a low-effort yet nutrient-dense option for meal prep or a cozy dinner.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Women are also approved at a lower rate for small business loans and face more scrutiny when seeking investments.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to inadequate
Cite this Entry
“Inadequate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadequate. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share