English Reference
Noun

adequacy

n.
C1 Advanced US /ˈædəkwəsi/ UK /ˈædɪkwəsi/ ad·e·qua·cy UK spelling adequacies

n.the quality of being enough or good enough for a specific purpose. It describes when something meets the basic requirements but might not be perfect.

n.the state of being sufficient or satisfactory for a particular purpose. Often used in formal contexts to describe the minimum level of quality or quantity required.


SIMPLE

The team showed a basic level of adequacy in their first game.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee questioned the adequacy of the current safety measures before approving the new construction project.

COMPLEX

While the initial report demonstrated a technical adequacy in the data collection process, it failed to address the underlying ethical concerns regarding participant consent.

This raised concerns about the adequacy of free, prior and informed consent and impacts on Country.

Phys.org· 28 Aug 2026

From adequate + -cy.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated