Cool MateAdequately vs Sufficiently
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Adequately
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
Sufficiently
FormalTop 5,000 (fairly common)B2adverb
Most formal: SufficientlyMost common: Adequately
| Adequately | Sufficiently | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈædɪkwətli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈædɪkwətli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səˈfɪʃntli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈfɪʃntli/"]/ |
| Meaning | well enough; sufficiently | enough; to a degree that is acceptable |
| Example | Are you adequately insured? | The following day she felt sufficiently well to go to work. |
| Register | Neutral | Formal |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | adverb |
| Collocations | perform adequately, function adequately, respond adequately, score adequately, meet adequately | sufficiently clear, sufficiently large, sufficiently qualified |
| Antonyms | inadequately, insufficiently | insufficiently, inadequately |
| Common mistakes | Using 'adequate' when 'adequately' is needed, e.g., 'The plan is adequate' instead of 'The plan works adequately.', Confusing 'adequately' with 'adequate' when describing an action., Incorrectly using 'adequately' in informal speech. | Confusing with 'sufficient', which is an adjective., Using in informal settings where simpler terms like 'enough' are more appropriate., Misplacing in sentences, leading to awkward constructions. |
| Usage notes | Use 'adequately' when you mean something meets the necessary standards but doesn't exceed them. It's suitable in both written and spoken contexts. | Often used in formal contexts, such as academic writing or official reports. It might not be appropriate for casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Adequately vs Sufficiently
What's the difference between Adequately and Sufficiently?
Adequately: well enough; sufficiently Sufficiently: enough; to a degree that is acceptable
Which is more formal: Adequately and Sufficiently?
Sufficiently is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Adequately and Sufficiently?
Adequately is the most common in everyday English.
Are Adequately and Sufficiently the same CEFR level?
Adequately: B2, Sufficiently: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Adequately and Sufficiently?
Adequately: adverb, Sufficiently: adverb.
Can you show an example of each?
Adequately: Are you adequately insured? Sufficiently: The following day she felt sufficiently well to go to work.
Can I use Adequately and Sufficiently interchangeably?
Not always. Adequately and Sufficiently are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.