# adequate

/ˈædəˌkweɪt/ (US) · /ˈædɪkwət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/adequate
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. sufficient or good enough

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic · General-service

enough in quality or amount for a particular purpose.

For teachers: satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity for a specific need or requirement.

- The old heater was adequate for the small bedroom, but it couldn't warm the whole house.
- The initial budget was deemed adequate for the preliminary research phase, though the board acknowledged that further funding would be required for the full-scale trial.

Usage: Often followed by the preposition 'for' or an infinitive 'to' phrase.

## Examples

- The food is adequate for a quick lunch.
- The hotel provided an adequate breakfast, though the rooms were smaller than we expected from the photos.
- While the initial funding was adequate for the pilot phase, the project will require significant private investment to scale effectively across the entire region.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.