enough
enough — determiner
1. as much of something, or as many of a group of things, as is needed for a partic
as much of something, or as many of a group of things, as is needed for a particular purpose.
Do we have <hl>enough</hl> chairs for all the guests at the dinner party?
enough + noun for purpose
Liang did not get <hl>enough</hl> sleep last night before the big exam.
not enough + noun
The soup needs more salt — it does not have <hl>enough</hl> flavour yet.
Samir saved <hl>enough</hl> money to buy a used car by working weekends.
enough + noun + to-infinitive
- enough time
- enough money
- enough space
- enough food
- enough sleep
- enough people
- sufficient
more formal than 'enough'; common in academic and official writing
- adequate
focuses on meeting the minimum standard or requirement
- plenty of
suggests more than enough; informal and positive in tone
- insufficient
formal antonym; used in official and academic contexts
- inadequate
suggests failing to meet the required standard
Grammar Patterns
enough + noun
not enough + noun
enough + noun + to-infinitive
enough + noun + for + noun/pronoun
Usage Note
Common in both affirmative and negative structures. In negative sentences, 'not enough' often implies that the shortfall causes a problem or prevents an outcome.
Common Mistakes
2. a greater amount than is wanted or desirable, often to express inconvenience or
a greater amount than is wanted or desirable, often to express inconvenience or difficulty.
I have had <hl>enough</hl> trouble with my computer this week without your help.
have had + enough + noun expressing excess
Tariro said she already has <hl>enough</hl> homework for one weekend.
We have listened to <hl>enough</hl> excuses from the team this month.
enough + abstract noun of complaint
The family has had <hl>enough</hl> bad news this year to last a lifetime.
- had enough trouble
- enough problems
- enough excuses
- enough worry
- too much
stronger and more direct than 'enough'; 'too much' clearly indicates excess
Grammar Patterns
have/has/had + enough + noun
enough + noun + already
Usage Note
Typically appears with 'have had' or 'have got' to emphasise that the speaker finds the amount excessive or undesirable. The noun is often abstract (trouble, problems, worry).
3. said firmly to demand that an activity, discussion, or noise immediately stop.
said firmly to demand that an activity, discussion, or noise immediately stop.
<hl>Enough</hl>! Both of you need to stop arguing about the remote control right now.
exclamation: Enough! to demand stop
<hl>Enough</hl> of this noise — Gita is trying to study for her final exams.
The teacher clapped and said, "<hl>Enough</hl> chatter — open your books to page thirty."
"<hl>Enough</hl> of this nonsense," the chairperson said as she banged the table.
Enough of + noun (exclamation pattern)
- stop it
less formal and more direct
- that will do
more polite and controlled in tone
Grammar Patterns
Enough!
Enough of + noun/pronoun
Usage Note
Used as a complete utterance, often with an exclamation mark. This sense carries a tone of authority or frustration and is common in spoken language.
4. used to indicate that you have understood what someone is saying and that furthe
used to indicate that you have understood what someone is saying and that further explanation is unnecessary.
You do not need to say more — I have heard <hl>enough</hl> to understand the situation.
heard enough to understand
Ah, <hl>enough</hl> said. I see exactly why you made that choice now.
"I see — <hl>enough</hl> said," Mauricio replied, nodding slowly after hearing the explanation.
We know <hl>enough</hl> about the plan to decide without waiting any longer.
know enough + to-infinitive
- enough said
- heard enough
- know enough
- understood
direct and neutral; common in workplace communication
- say no more
informal equivalent with the same acknowledging function
Grammar Patterns
Enough said
heard enough
enough + to-infinitive expressing understanding
Usage Note
Common in the fixed phrase 'Enough said.' This sense does NOT carry the frustration of sense 3 or 5 — it simply signals comprehension.
5. feeling annoyed or impatient because a situation has continued for too long or b
feeling annoyed or impatient because a situation has continued for too long or become unbearable.
Alessia has had <hl>enough</hl> of the cold weather and is planning to move south next year.
have had enough of + noun
The neighbours said they have had <hl>enough</hl> of the loud music coming from the flat upstairs.
I have had <hl>enough</hl> of waiting for buses that never arrive on time in this town.
have had enough of + gerund
The dog has had <hl>enough</hl> of being left alone all day while everyone is at work.
- had enough of
- enough of waiting
- enough of the noise
- fed up with
equivalent in meaning; slightly more informal
- sick of
more emphatic and informal than 'enough'
- tired of
focuses on boredom or weariness rather than anger
Grammar Patterns
have/has/had enough of + noun
have/has/had enough of + verb-ing
Usage Note
Always constructed with 'have had' or 'have got' followed by 'of'. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 2 refers to excess of a specific thing (enough trouble), while sense 5 expresses general emotional exhaustion with a repeated situation.
Common Mistakes
6. said to tell someone, especially a child, to stop misbehaving or doing something
said to tell someone, especially a child, to stop misbehaving or doing something unacceptable.
That is <hl>enough</hl>, children! Put the toys away and stop throwing them across the room.
That is enough! — scolding bad behaviour
<hl>Enough</hl> out of you, young man. Go and sit quietly in the corner until dinner.
I have had just about <hl>enough</hl> of your rude comments at the dinner table tonight.
"Right, that is <hl>enough</hl>," the babysitter said, taking the game controller from the boys.
That is enough — authoritative stop
- stop that
simpler and more direct
- that will do
more controlled and less confrontational
Grammar Patterns
That is enough!
Enough!
Enough of that!
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 3: sense 3 targets a situation or activity (noise, argument), while sense 6 specifically addresses a person's unacceptable conduct.
enough — adverb
1. placed right after an adjective, an adverb, or a verb to say that a certain leve
placed right after an adjective, an adverb, or a verb to say that a certain level or standard has been reached.
The box is light <hl>enough</hl> for one person to carry up the stairs alone.
adjective + enough + to-infinitive
Amihan did not practise long <hl>enough</hl> to master the difficult piano piece.
not + adverb + enough + to-infinitive
Is the water warm <hl>enough</hl> for the baby to take a bath safely?
Caleb ran fast <hl>enough</hl> to catch the last train before it left the station.
- big enough
- good enough
- old enough
- fast enough
- soon enough
- long enough
- well enough
- sufficiently
more formal; placed BEFORE the adjective, not after
- adequately
more formal; suggests meeting a minimum standard
- insufficiently
formal antonym; placed before the adjective
Grammar Patterns
adjective + enough
adverb + enough
adjective/adverb + enough + to-infinitive
verb + enough
Usage Note
Always placed AFTER the adjective or adverb it modifies — a common source of error for learners who place it before (e.g. 'enough big' instead of 'big enough'). The to-infinitive clause states the purpose or outcome that the sufficient degree enables.
Common Mistakes
2. to a moderate or acceptable degree; fairly or quite, but not extremely.
to a moderate or acceptable degree; fairly or quite, but not extremely.
Funnily <hl>enough</hl>, Justin was thinking the same thing about the movie at that moment.
fixed phrase: funnily enough
The instructions are clear <hl>enough</hl>, but the task itself is still quite difficult to complete.
Strangely <hl>enough</hl>, nobody at the meeting mentioned the budget cuts at all.
fixed phrase: strangely enough
The hotel was nice <hl>enough</hl>, though the bed was a little too soft for my back.
- funnily enough
- strangely enough
- oddly enough
- curiously enough
- clear enough
- fair enough
- quite
more common in British English; can vary in intensity by context
- fairly
similar degree; placed before the adjective, not after
- reasonably
suggests a practical but not perfect level
Grammar Patterns
adjective/adverb + enough
fixed phrase: strangely/funnily/oddly enough
Usage Note
Common in the fixed phrases 'funnily enough', 'strangely enough', 'oddly enough', 'curiously enough' at the start of a sentence. Outside these set expressions, this sense often carries a hedging tone — the speaker indicates something is acceptable but not excellent.
fair enough
idiomsaid to accept the reason or logic behind what someone has just said, even if you do not completely agree.
Salma said she could not come because she was sick, and Hari replied, "Fair <hl>enough</hl> — get some rest."
"I do not want to spend that much on a hotel." "Fair <hl>enough</hl>, let us find a cheaper one."
enough is enough
idiomsaid to indicate that a situation has gone on too long and must stop, often because of frustration or impatience.
After three hours of delay at the airport, Christopher said, "<hl>Enough</hl> is <hl>enough</hl> — I am asking for a refund."
The manager told the employees that <hl>enough</hl> is <hl>enough</hl> and that late arrivals would no longer be tolerated.
have had enough (of)
idiomto be completely unable or unwilling to tolerate any more of a person, situation, or activity.
After five years of commuting for three hours each day, Élise has had <hl>enough</hl> and is looking for a job closer to home.
The residents have had <hl>enough</hl> of the construction noise that wakes them up at six every morning.
enough — adjective
1. present in a quantity or quality that fully meets the demands or needs of a part
present in a quantity or quality that fully meets the demands or needs of a particular situation.
There is <hl>enough</hl> food in the refrigerator to feed everyone at the dinner party tonight.
enough + noun + to-infinitive
We have <hl>enough</hl> time to finish the project before the Friday deadline.
Heloísa believes that three staff members are <hl>enough</hl> to run the small shop all week.
be + enough + to-infinitive
Do you think this room gets <hl>enough</hl> sunlight for growing indoor plants?
- enough food
- enough time
- enough money
- enough space
- enough room
- enough reason
- sufficient
more formal; common in academic and official contexts
- ample
suggests more than enough; positive and generous in tone
- insufficient
formal antonym used in reports and evaluations
Grammar Patterns
enough + noun
be + enough
enough + for + noun/pronoun
enough + to-infinitive
Usage Note
Unlike typical adjectives, 'enough' does NOT have comparative (enough-er) or superlative (enough-est) forms. It also does not take degree adverbs like 'very' — use 'quite enough' or 'more than enough' instead.
enough — pronoun
1. the needed number or quantity of something when the thing itself has already bee
the needed number or quantity of something when the thing itself has already been named or is clear from the situation.
I cooked plenty of rice, so there is <hl>enough</hl> for everyone at the table to eat.
there is enough for + pronoun
Eitan asked the driving instructor whether he had done <hl>enough</hl> to pass the road test.
do enough + to-infinitive
The charity collected donations, but it was not <hl>enough</hl> to help all the families hit by the flood.
not enough to + infinitive
There were ten pizzas for the party, but it was barely <hl>enough</hl> for the hungry crowd.
- enough of
- enough for
- more than enough
- enough to go around
- sufficient
more formal; cannot replace 'enough' as a pronoun in all positions ('sufficient was collected' sounds formal)
- a sufficient amount
more explicit, used in formal writing
- too little
informal but common opposite in everyday speech
- an insufficient amount
formal antonym
Grammar Patterns
enough + of + determiner/determinative + noun
enough + to-infinitive
enough + for + noun/pronoun
Usage Note
Used as a pronoun when the noun it refers to has already been mentioned or is obvious from the situation. Can be followed by 'of' when a specific group or set is identified ('enough of us', 'enough of the food').
Common Mistakes
Synonym discussion
Sense: determiner/1
'Enough', 'sufficient', 'adequate', and 'plenty of' all indicate that a quantity meets a need, but they differ in tone and context. 'Enough' is the most neutral and common in everyday speech — it simply means the needed amount without extra judgment ('We have enough chairs'). 'Sufficient' is more formal, often used in official, academic, or legal contexts where precision matters ('The candidate has sufficient qualifications'). 'Adequate' focuses on meeting a minimum threshold — it can carry a faint implication of 'barely enough' or 'just acceptable' ('The heating provides adequate warmth'). 'Plenty of' is informal and suggests more than enough, with a positive, generous tone ('There is plenty of food for everyone'). In Taiwan English exams, 'sufficient' and 'adequate' appear more often in reading passages, while 'enough' and 'plenty of' are tested in writing and speaking tasks. For example: 'Do we have enough water for the hike?' (neutral question) versus 'We have plenty of water — bring extra bottles' (confident, generous).
Common collocations
Etymology
'Enough' traces back to Old English 'genōg', which comes from Proto-Germanic '*ganōgaz'. The prefix '*ga-' carried a collective or intensive meaning, combined with the root '*nōg-' (from Proto-Indo-European '*h₂enḱ-', 'to reach or attain'). The core idea has always been 'that which has been reached or attained' — in other words, the point where a need is met. By the Middle English period, the word had simplified to 'ynogh' and eventually 'enough'. The spelling with '-ough' reflects the same sound shift seen in 'rough', 'tough', and 'cough', though the vowel in 'enough' has followed a different historical path.