as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
there's been an insufficient number of volunteers for the job, so I'll have to select someone
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 insufficient
If a bond has insufficient funds, the importer cannot take ownership of their freight.
—
Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
My analysis of 26 public universities between 1980 and 2018, for example, found that tuition revenue growth was three times the reduction in state funding—meaning that the loss of state support is insufficient to explain the surge in tuition.
—Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
But in 2026, those levers are insufficient.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
What Coconut Water Does to Your Blood Pressure Coconut water might help control blood pressure (BP), but insufficient evidence exists to recommend it routinely.
—Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026
My analysis of 26 public universities between 1980 and 2018, for example, found that tuition revenue growth was three times the reduction in state funding—meaning that the loss of state support is insufficient to explain the surge in tuition.
—Neetu Arnold, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
But in 2026, those levers are insufficient.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
What Coconut Water Does to Your Blood Pressure Coconut water might help control blood pressure (BP), but insufficient evidence exists to recommend it routinely.
—Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insufficient
Adjective
-
Vučević is also a good defensive rebounder, an area in which the Celtics are greatly lacking.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Unfortunately, that correspondence is wholly lacking.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Even so, Elder, in the memorandum to the commission, said a future rise in the number of household shoppers may render the parking inadequate.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Attempting to describe Once Upon a Time in Harlem with words feels inadequate.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Although plants played a central role in subsistence for centuries, Neolithic communities heavily relied on human and animal figures, with scarce traces of plant visual representation, such as flowers, shrubs, and branches.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
-
For fans, that means tickets available at face value are scarce.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Boxer Imane Khelif admitted to having the SRY gene, located on the Y chromosome, which is found in biological males, and undergoing hormone treatments to lower testosterone levels ahead of the 2024 Olympics in an interview with the French sports publication L'Equipe.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The appeals court sent the case back to the lower court to amend the 2024 ruling.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insufficient. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
