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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insufficient
The police department’s insufficient and incompetent investigation cannot stand.
—
Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
The couple, who had no previous filming and editing experience, felt that focusing on Tamil dialects alone was insufficient.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
Other candidates were removed for using a wrong address, filing to run for both school board and village board, which are incompatible offices and having an insufficient number of signatures.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
The reason for her release was insufficient grounds for filing a criminal complaint.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2025
The couple, who had no previous filming and editing experience, felt that focusing on Tamil dialects alone was insufficient.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025
Other candidates were removed for using a wrong address, filing to run for both school board and village board, which are incompatible offices and having an insufficient number of signatures.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025
The reason for her release was insufficient grounds for filing a criminal complaint.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insufficient
Adjective
-
Frequent travel across multiple time zones disrupts circadian rhythms and increases the risk of injuries due to inadequate rest and recovery.—
Claire Poole,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Typical reasons why the corporations won’t back mortgages at a condo include inadequate reserves or insurance, structural or construction issues, too many delinquencies, and too high a percentage of rentals.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Details of who makes up the DOGE staff have been scarce despite the intense media attention on the team's efforts.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2025
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As a rule, if rain is scarce, a crepe myrtle needs two to three gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter per week.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The survey's measure of consumer sentiment dropped to a level lower than at any point during the Great Recession.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Trust Is Built In Small Moments Like This For a co-op like Cabot Creamery, maintaining consumer trust means being transparent—even when the stakes are low.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insufficient. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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