WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•suf•fi•cient /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃənt/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- not sufficient;
lacking in what is necessary or required:insufficient funds.
in•suf•fi•cient
(in′sə fish′ənt),USA pronunciation adj.
in′suf•fi′cient•ly, adv.
- not sufficient;
lacking in what is necessary or required:an insufficient answer. - deficient in force, quality, or amount;
inadequate:insufficient protection.
- Late Latin insufficient- (stem of insufficiēns). See in-3, sufficient
- Middle English 1350–1400
- 1. inadequate, scanty, deficient.
'insufficiently' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
half-baked
- heavy
- ill-advised
- incommodious
- ordinary seaman
- under-
- underdone
- underestimate
- underpay
- Chinese liver fluke
- dry
- tales
- toxoplasmosis
- underactive
- underdeveloped
- underfeed
- subliminal