sufficient
C1Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
Enough to meet the needs of a situation or achieve a purpose.
Adequate in amount, quantity, or degree; meeting a required standard without being excessive.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a precise or minimum threshold rather than abundance. Can carry a slightly impersonal or legalistic tone compared to 'enough'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning. Slightly more common in formal British writing (e.g., legal, academic) than in American, where 'enough' is often preferred in speech.
Connotations
Both varieties share connotations of adequacy and meeting a minimum standard. Can sound slightly more formal, technical, or bureaucratic than 'enough'.
Frequency
More frequent in written English than spoken in both varieties. In American English informal speech, 'enough' is strongly preferred.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be + sufficient + for + nounbe + sufficient + to-infinitivesufficient + noun + for/toVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Suffice it to say (that)...”
- “To all intents and purposes (implies sufficiency)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We need to ensure sufficient capital reserves before expanding."
Academic
"The sample size was not sufficient to draw statistically significant conclusions."
Everyday
"Do we have sufficient milk for breakfast?"
Technical
"A sufficient condition for ignition is a temperature exceeding 500°C."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- These measures will suffice for now.
- A brief note should suffice.
American English
- That explanation doesn't suffice.
- Will $50 suffice for the materials?
adverb
British English
- The meat was sufficiently cooked.
- He is sufficiently qualified.
American English
- The project was sufficiently funded.
- She studied sufficiently for the exam.
adjective
British English
- We have sufficient data to proceed.
- The room was of sufficient size.
American English
- Do you have sufficient proof?
- Make sure you allow sufficient time.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Is there sufficient bread for everyone?
- This blanket is sufficient to keep you warm.
- We didn't have sufficient information to make a decision.
- The salary was sufficient for a comfortable life.
- The prosecutor failed to provide sufficient evidence of guilt.
- Her command of the language was sufficient to negotiate the contract.
- The theory posits that economic stability is a sufficient condition for social cohesion.
- While the findings are suggestive, they are not sufficient to warrant a paradigm shift.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SUFFICIENT sounds like 'so fishy, sent' – Imagine you've sent SO FISHY a amount of fish that it's finally ENOUGH.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY AS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'The container of resources is full enough'). MEASUREMENT/THRESHOLD (e.g., 'Meeting the line').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from 'достаточный' in overly informal contexts where 'enough' is better. Be careful with constructions: 'sufficient *for* something' (достаточный *для*), not 'sufficient *to do*' which mirrors 'enough to do'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sufficient enough' (redundant).
- Incorrect preposition: 'sufficient to the task' (correct: 'sufficient for the task' or 'sufficient to do the task').
- Placing 'sufficient' after the noun like 'enough' (e.g., 'time sufficient' is unnatural).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'sufficient' incorrectly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Sufficient' is more formal and often implies meeting a defined minimum or standard. 'Enough' is more common in everyday speech and can feel more personal. They are often interchangeable, but 'enough' can follow a noun ('money enough'), while 'sufficient' typically precedes it ('sufficient money').
Yes, it can imply mere adequacy without excellence (e.g., 'His performance was sufficient but not outstanding') or a bare minimum in a bureaucratic context (e.g., 'the minimum sufficient requirements').
Yes, directly. 'Self-sufficient' means being able to supply one's own needs without external assistance, extending the core meaning of 'enough' to independence.
'Sufficiently' modifies adjectives or verbs to mean 'to an adequate degree'. It is the formal counterpart of 'enough' as an adverb (e.g., 'sufficiently warm' vs. 'warm enough').