ENOUGH Synonyms: 244 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'enough' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enough are adequate , competent , and sufficient . While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient . // do you have enough food?

Q: When would 'adequate' be a good substitute for 'enough'?

Although the words adequate and enough have much in common, adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement. // the service was adequate

Q: When is it sensible to use 'competent' instead of 'enough'?

The words competent and enough can be used in similar contexts, but competent suggests measuring up to all requirements without question or being adequately adapted to an end. // had no competent notion of what was going on

Q: When is 'sufficient' a more appropriate choice than 'enough'?

The synonyms sufficient and enough are sometimes interchangeable, but sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need. // sufficient savings

enough 1 of 3

adverb

Definition of enough next

as in sufficiently

in or to a degree or quantity that meets one's requirements or satisfaction the elevator is big enough to hold everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pretty

to some degree or extent I can play the piano well enough, but I have no hope for a musical career

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in quite

to a full extent or degree I think we're prepared enough—we just lack the will to actually do it

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enough

2 of 3

adjective

as in sufficient

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

enough

3 of 3

noun

as in sufficiency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective enough contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enough are adequate, competent, and sufficient. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

do you have enough food?

When would adequate be a good substitute for enough?

Although the words adequate and enough have much in common, adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

the service was adequate

When is it sensible to use competent instead of enough?

The words competent and enough can be used in similar contexts, but competent suggests measuring up to all requirements without question or being adequately adapted to an end.

had no competent notion of what was going on

When is sufficient a more appropriate choice than enough?

The synonyms sufficient and enough are sometimes interchangeable, but sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

sufficient savings

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of enough

Adverb

Jail booking logs in Fresno show the majority of people arrested on public camping charges are only held in custody for a matter of hours, just long enough to be processed. —

Vanessa Rancaño, NPR, 28 Dec. 2024 For some, the declines were symptomatic of a greater disorder originating from within the league itself, something egregious enough to effectively drive a fifth of the audience away within the span of a single year. —

Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Dec. 2024

Adjective

But what Baltimore star quarterback Lamar Jackson has done lately should be enough to earn his third MVP award. —

Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 27 Dec. 2024 Leading Voices: Women Execs Share Their Best Career Moves Experience and talent are not always enough to succeed in the fashion industry. —

Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 27 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enough

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enough

Adverb

The incoming Trump administration is bad news for the D.C. establishment, but great news for pretty much everybody else.

Michael Glassner and John Pence, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
While inflation makes the comparisons between Carter and Biden inevitable, several other economic indicators were actually pretty strong under Biden, which wasn't the case for Carter.

Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 23 Dec. 2024