adequacy
C1Formal to neutral; more common in written, academic, and professional discourse.
Definition
Meaning
The state or quality of being sufficient, acceptable, or good enough to meet a need or purpose.
In technical or legal contexts, adequacy can also refer to the satisfactory or acceptable quality or performance of something, such as a system, test, or regulation, based on defined standards.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
While the related adjective 'adequate' can have a faintly negative connotation of mere sufficiency (just good enough), the noun 'adequacy' is often more neutral, focusing objectively on the state of meeting requirements. It often co-occurs with assessments or evaluations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical. Both varieties primarily use it in formal/professional contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English legal/regulatory language (e.g., 'data adequacy decisions'). In American English, common in educational and psychological testing contexts (e.g., 'test adequacy').
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties. Slightly higher in UK corpora due to regulatory language (e.g., EU/UK frameworks).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the adequacy of [NP] (for NP/to-inf)question/doubt/assess the adequacyensure/guarantee the adequacyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms with the noun 'adequacy'. The related adjective is used in 'adequate for the purpose'.]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the sufficiency of resources, capital, or systems. E.g., 'The board reviewed the capital adequacy of the bank.'
Academic
Used to evaluate the suitability of research methods, sample sizes, or theoretical frameworks. E.g., 'The study's methodology was criticised for its lack of statistical adequacy.'
Everyday
Less common. Used when formally discussing if something is enough. E.g., 'We need to check the adequacy of our insurance cover.'
Technical
Specific meanings in law (data protection adequacy), finance (capital adequacy ratios), and engineering (structural adequacy).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- [No verb form. The related verb is 'to adequatise' which is extremely rare and non-standard.]
American English
- [No verb form.]
adverb
British English
- The team performed adequately under pressure.
- The system is functioning adequately for now.
American English
- The contract was adequately drafted.
- He was able to explain the concept adequately.
adjective
British English
- The training provided was merely adequate.
- We must ensure our funds are adequate for the project.
American English
- Her performance was adequate but not outstanding.
- The apartment was adequate for their needs.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The food was not enough. Its adequacy was poor.
- We checked the adequacy of the water supply.
- The teacher questioned the adequacy of the student's preparation for the exam.
- The report assessed the adequacy of the company's safety procedures.
- Regulators are responsible for ensuring the capital adequacy of financial institutions.
- Doubts were raised about the statistical adequacy of the survey's sample size.
- The philosophical debate centres on the adequacy of utilitarianism as a framework for justice.
- The EU's adequacy decision regarding third-country data protection regimes has significant trade implications.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: ADEQUAcy – it sounds like 'a deck of cards'. Is 'a deck' (a set) of cards ADEQUATE (enough) to play the game? Yes, it has the required adequacy.
Conceptual Metaphor
ADEQUACY IS A MEASURABLE THRESHOLD (meeting a minimum line/level); ADEQUACY IS A FOUNDATION (being solid enough to build upon).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'адекватность' (adequacy) which can also mean 'appropriateness' or even 'sanity' in colloquial Russian. English 'adequacy' is narrower, focusing on sufficiency, not general appropriateness or mental state.
- The adjective 'adequate' is often translated as 'соответствующий' or 'достаточный'. The noun 'adequacy' aligns more closely with 'достаточность'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'adequacy' in overly casual contexts where 'enough' or 'sufficiency' would be more natural (e.g., 'I'm not sure about the adequacy of pizza for dinner.' – sounds odd).
- Misspelling as 'adequasy' or 'adequity'.
- Confusing 'adequacy' (state of being enough) with 'accuracy' (state of being correct).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'adequacy' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is generally neutral but context-dependent. It describes meeting a required standard. If the standard is low, 'adequacy' might imply mediocrity. In regulatory contexts, it's a positive, required state.
They are very close synonyms. 'Adequacy' often implies meeting a qualitative standard or purpose ('adequate for the job'), while 'sufficiency' can be more purely quantitative ('a sufficiency of supplies'). 'Adequacy' is also the more formal term.
No, 'adequacy' is an uncountable noun. You cannot have 'adequacies'. You would use phrases like 'levels of adequacy' or 'aspects of adequacy' instead.
'Capital adequacy' is a key term in banking, referring to the minimum amount of capital a bank must hold as required by financial regulators.
Explore