SUFFICIENT Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'sufficient' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sufficient are adequate , competent , and enough . While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need. // sufficient savings

Q: When might 'adequate' be a better fit than 'sufficient'?

The synonyms adequate and sufficient are sometimes interchangeable, but adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement. // the service was adequate

Q: Where would 'competent' be a reasonable alternative to 'sufficient'?

Although the words competent and sufficient have much in common, 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

Q: How are the words 'enough' and 'sufficient' related?

Enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient . // do you have enough food?

sufficient

adjective

Definition of sufficient next

as in adequate

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sufficient contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sufficient are adequate, competent, and enough. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

sufficient savings

When might adequate be a better fit than sufficient?

The synonyms adequate and sufficient are sometimes interchangeable, but adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

the service was adequate

Where would competent be a reasonable alternative to sufficient?

Although the words competent and sufficient have much in common, 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

How are the words enough and sufficient related?

Enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

do you have enough food?

Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of sufficient However, according to the team's calculations, even a 100% recovery rate of consumables wouldn't be sufficient to lower the payload mass enough to meet the mission requirements. —

Keith Cooper, Space.com, 3 Feb. 2025 Attorneys now say SeaQuest and CEO Aaron Neilsen have been unable to find a partner or investor, and have no sufficient funds to continue operating. —

Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 31 Jan. 2025 Check Your Tires Ensure tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread for grip. Consider using winter tires or chains in extreme conditions. —

Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2025 The lack of sufficient charging networks is seen as one of the major entry barriers to EV adoption. —

New Atlas, 25 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sufficient

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sufficient

Adjective

There are still some that choose this path out of denial or for immediate financial/political gain, as well as those who feel the die is cast and no effort is adequate to stop the current course.

— PATRICK CASEY, DEBRA FISER, WHIT HALL and GARY WHEELER Special to the Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 9 Feb. 2025
The El Patron Restaurant and Bar, located at 2520 K Avenue, was also ordered to close due to a lack of adequate refrigeration and sewage disposal, according to the report.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Feb. 2025