Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Not adequate to fulfill a need or meet a requirement; insufficient.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Not adequate; not equal to requirement; insufficient to effect the end desired; incomplete; disproportionate; defective.
  • Synonyms Incommensurate, incompetent.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Not adequate; unequal to the purpose; insufficient; deficient

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Not adequate; unequal to the purpose; insufficient; deficient; as, inadequate resources, power, conceptions, representations, etc.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
  • adjective not sufficient to meet a need

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • Are you going to pretend you think the title inadequate?

    Men Don't Leave Me 2010

  • Some politicians, business owners and residents in affected neighborhoods have expressed frustration at what they called an inadequate level of police response, calling for a greater police presence and tougher tactics.

    Beleaguered U.K. Police Step Up Response Cassell Bryan-Low 2011

  • In separate letters, the New York Department of Financial Services threatened to impose penalties on Assurant, an insurer, for what it calls inadequate document-retention policies, and urged a Citigroup mortgage unit to comply with a subpoena related to the inquiry.

    New York Tells Citi, Assurant to Cooperate Leslie Scism 2012

  • CHICAGO—United Airlines pilots, still simmering over what they call "inadequate" training and "compromised safety" stemming from United's 2010 merger with Continental Airlines, have ratcheted up their pressure on the carrier by circulating to members of Congress a highly critical 101-page report by their union.

    United Pilots Turn Up Heat Susan Carey 2011

  • The Cobbs said their house was flooded during Hurricane Katrina and it took 18 months to repair it, and they still resent Mr. Bush for what they call his inadequate response to the crisis.

    Archive 2009-01-01 Matt Johnston 2009

  • The Cobbs said their house was flooded during Hurricane Katrina and it took 18 months to repair it, and they still resent Mr. Bush for what they call his inadequate response to the crisis.

    Archive 2009-01-01 Matt Johnston 2009

  • These included what it described as inadequate funding for security structures and an overburdened criminal justice system.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2001

  • Committee chairman Boy Nobunga also had to intervene twice to reprimand Freedom Front committee member Hein Mentz for "badgering" witnesses after they gave what he described as inadequate answers.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2000

  • CNN -- Connecticut's governor has asked state prosecutors to join a review of what he called the "inadequate" response by the state's largest utility to last week's snowstorm.

    CNN.com 2011

  • She is frustrated with what she calls inadequate service and the lack of security in her building.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed TAMARA BALUJA 2012

Comments

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  • "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

    Our deepest fear is that we are powerful

    beyond measure.

    It is our light not our darkness that most

    frightens us.

    We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,

    gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

    Actually, who are you not to be?"

    - Marianne Williamson.

    December 10, 2007

  • Beautifully said.

    December 10, 2007

  • Seinfeld did a whole bit on the growing "fear of success" in society. Deep down, I think we all long to be in the upper middle strata of society.

    December 11, 2007

  • *sigh* My life is inadequate

    August 8, 2012