Search

as much or as good as necessary for some requirement or purpose; fully sufficient, suitable, or fit (often followed by to or for):
This car is adequate to our needs. adequate food for fifty people.
barely sufficient or suitable:
Being adequate is not good enough.
Law. reasonably sufficient for starting legal action:
adequate grounds.
Contemporary Examples

Having a White House political operative looking into this is not an adequate solution.
Exclusive: Texas VA Run Like a ‘Crime Syndicate,’ Whistleblower Says Jacob Siegel May 27, 2014

If an oil spill erupts in the ocean, we need to check on whether there were adequate federal inspections.
The Politicization of the Boston Bombings Has Begun Howard Kurtz April 20, 2013

Pakistani government and military officials insist security at the nuclear facilities is adequate.
More Pakistan Problems Fasih Ahmed June 15, 2011

Forcing the parties to unite denies this native minority group its right to adequate representation.
Raising the Threshold or Pulling the Carpet Out From Under Israel’s Minorities? Marc Grey October 7, 2013

Apparently, no building in Paris was adequate for this much anticipated moment.
Raf’s Ready-to-Wear Debut at Dior Robin Givhan September 27, 2012

Historical Examples

Thus school knowledge frequently fails to function to an adequate degree in the practical affairs of life.
Ontario Normal School Manuals: Science of Education Ontario Ministry of Education

It represented scorn for which Mrs. Blair could find no adequate utterance.
Meadow Grass Alice Brown

By text-book we do not mean a formal school-book, but a book with a clear method, a capital style, and adequate information.
Girls and Women Harriet E. Paine (AKA E. Chester}

She hoped that Elder Weeks would be adequate in the latter direction.
The Village Watch-Tower (AKA Kate Douglas Riggs) Kate Douglas Wiggin

The paramount problem in highway administration is the development of an adequate financial plan for carrying on road improvement.
American Rural Highways T. R. Agg

adjective
able to fulfil a need or requirement without being abundant, outstanding, etc
adj.

1610s, from Latin adaequatus “equalized,” past participle of adaequare “to make equal to,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + aequare “make level,” from aequus (see equal). The sense is of being “equal to what is required.” Related: Adequateness.