adequately
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
in a way that is enough or good enough for a particular purpose.
to a degree that is sufficient or satisfactory for a specific requirement.
Simple“The new staff members were adequately trained before they started working with customers.”
In context“The report adequately addresses the primary concerns raised by the board, though it lacks the granular detail required for a full strategic overhaul.”
UsageTypically modifies verbs or adjectives to indicate a standard of sufficiency.
Teacher's tipNote the neutral-to-positive tone; it implies 'enough' but rarely 'excellent'.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
just enough to be acceptable, but not very good.
to a degree that is only just sufficient; meeting the minimum standard without exceeding it.
Simple“The old heater worked adequately, but the room was still a bit chilly.”
In context“While the candidate performed adequately during the technical assessment, the panel felt he lacked the creative spark necessary for the senior role.”
Teacher's tipIn professional contexts, describing someone's work as 'adequate' or 'adequate' can be seen as 'faint praise', suggesting it is mediocre.
SynonymspassablytolerablyAntonyms
Usage adequately address · adequately control · adequately deal
“The gaps between defence and midfield were not big, but they were not covered adequately by United.”
“Many of these activities generate public benefits that market forces alone are unlikely to adequately provide.”
From adequate + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.