insufficient

/ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃnt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃnt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin(t)-sə-ˈfi-shənt/ (ame, mw)

insufficient — adjective

  • insufficientpositive
  • more insufficientcomparative
  • most insufficientsuperlative

1. relating to a situation where the amount of something available falls short of w

1.形容詞C1
釋義

relating to a situation where the amount of something available falls short of what the situation demands — for instance, when the money you have saved is not enough to pay a large bill.

例句

The committee concluded that the evidence was insufficient to support the claim.

pattern: insufficient + to-infinitive

Ravi's application was rejected because of his insufficient work experience.

同義詞
  • inadequate

    more common regarding quality or capability rather than pure quantity ('inadequate training' vs 'insufficient funds')

  • deficient

    suggests a specific element is missing or below standard, often in technical or nutritional contexts

  • scarce

    describes a resource that is in short supply relative to demand, rather than simply not enough for a purpose

反義詞
  • sufficient

    direct opposite; B1-level word meaning as much as needed

  • adequate

    implies enough for the purpose, often with a sense of 'barely enough'

  • enough

    the most common and neutral opposite; used across all registers

文法句型

insufficient + to-infinitive

insufficient + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in formal, professional, and academic contexts rather than in everyday conversation. The subject is usually an abstract noun such as evidence, funds, time, data, or resources. In casual speech, 'not enough' is more natural than 'insufficient'.

常見錯誤

❌The soup was insufficient.
✅There was not enough soup.
💡'Insufficient' sounds unnatural with concrete everyday objects like food in simple statements; use 'not enough' instead.
❌I have insufficient money to buy the ticket.
✅I do not have enough money to buy the ticket.
💡In everyday spoken English, 'not enough' is preferred over 'insufficient'.