enough
- 01 A1 Beginner
det.as much as you need or want.
det.functioning as a determiner to indicate a sufficient quantity of a noun.
Simple“Do we have enough eggs to make a cake for the party?”
In context“The rescue team did not have enough supplies to remain on the mountain for another night, forcing them to retreat before the storm arrived.”
UsagePlaced before the noun it modifies.
PitfallI don't have money enough for the ticket. I don't have enough money for the ticket.When used with a noun, 'enough' usually comes before the noun.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 A1 Beginner
adv.to the necessary degree or level.
adv.functioning as an adverb to indicate that a quality or action reaches a required threshold.
Simple“Is the water warm enough for you, or should I add more hot water?”
In context“The candidate did not speak clearly enough for the audience at the back of the hall to hear the policy proposals.”
UsagePlaced after the adjective or adverb it modifies.
PitfallThe water is enough warm for a bath. The water is warm enough for a bath.When used with an adjective or adverb, 'enough' must come after the word it describes.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 A2 Elementary
pron.the amount or number that is needed.
pron.functioning as a pronoun representing a sufficient quantity or number of something previously mentioned.
Simple“I've had enough to eat, thank you; the meal was delicious.”
In context“While some critics argued for further investment, the board decided that enough had been spent on the project already.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adv.used after an adjective to mean 'quite' or 'fairly'.
adv.used as a post-modifier to express a moderate or high degree of a quality, often with a pragmatic nuance of irony or emphasis.
Simple“The instructions were simple enough, but I still managed to make a mistake.”
In context“The results were promising enough to justify a second round of clinical trials, though the researchers remained cautious about the long-term data.”
Usage enough time · enough to make · enough people
From Middle English ynogh, from Old English ġenōg (“enough”), from Proto-Germanic ganōgaz (“enough”) (compare Scots eneuch, West Frisian genôch, Dutch genoeg, German genug, Low German (ge)noog, Danish nok, Swedish nog, Icelandic nógur), from ganuganą 'to suffice' (compare Old English ġeneah), or from ga- + an unattested nōgaz, probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eh₂nó(n)ḱe (“he has reached, attained”), perfective of h₂neḱ- (“to reach”) (compare Old Irish tánaic (“he arrived”), Latin nancisci (“to get”), Albanian kënaq (“to please, satisfy”).).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.