adequately

adequately — adverb

1. to a level that meets the need or reaches a basic standard.

1.adverbB2
Definition

to a level that meets the need or reaches a basic standard.

Example

The nurse explained the medicine plan adequately before Mrs. Lin left.

adequately + verb: explain something clearly enough

One lamp adequately lit the small tent during the storm.

adequately + verb with light, heat, protect

Common collocations
  • adequately prepared
  • adequately trained
  • adequately funded
  • adequately protected
  • adequately heated
  • adequately explained
Synonyms
  • sufficiently

    neutral and close in meaning; often focuses more on amount or degree than on quality.

  • satisfactorily

    stresses an acceptable result, especially after judging performance or work.

  • acceptably

    often suggests meeting a minimum standard that is allowed, though not impressive.

  • properly

    focuses on doing something in the correct way, not just well enough.

Antonyms
  • inadequately

    direct opposite; shows that the needed level was not reached.

  • poorly

    broader and more negative; can suggest bad quality, not only insufficiency.

Grammar Patterns

adequately + past participle

adequately + verb

adequately + adjective

Usage Note

Often used before past participles and adjectives such as prepared, trained, funded, heated, and protected. It usually suggests that the minimum needed level was reached, not that something was especially good.

Common Mistakes

The room was adequate heated for the baby.
The room was adequately heated for the baby.
use the adverb form before a participle or adjective.
The staff were enough trained for the climb.
The staff were adequately trained for the climb.
'enough' does not normally go before 'trained'; 'adequately' shows the needed standard was met.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Adequately' means that something reaches the level needed for a purpose, often without sounding enthusiastic. 'Sufficiently' is very close, but it more often stresses amount or degree: a room can be sufficiently large, or food can be sufficiently hot. 'Satisfactorily' focuses on the result after some kind of judgment, such as a student finishing a task satisfactorily. 'Acceptably' suggests the standard is only just good enough to be allowed. 'Properly' is different because it points to correctness, not just sufficiency. Compare: 'The clinic was adequately staffed for the weekend,' but 'The forms were properly completed before noon.'

adequately ↗sufficiently ↗satisfactorily ↗acceptablyproperly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • quite adequately
  • more than adequately

Phrases

  • adequately prepared
  • adequately trained
  • adequately funded
  • adequately protected
  • adequately explained

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Adequately is formed from the adjective 'adequate' and the adverb ending '-ly'. 'Adequate' came into English from Latin 'adaequatus', from the verb 'adaequare', meaning 'to make equal to' or 'to match'. The modern sense keeps that idea of matching a need, standard, or purpose.