insufficient

adjective

Not sufficient; of a type or kind that does not suffice, that does not satisfy requirements or needs.

Not sufficient; lacking competent power or ability; unqualified, unequal, unfit.

Roots

subsuf- · Latin · under, below facio-fic · Latin · make, do

Synonyms for insufficient

deficientadj inadequateadj lackingadj scantyadj scarceadj scantadj unsatisfactoryadj failingn defectiveadj

Synonyms & related words for insufficient

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of insufficient — including deficient, inadequate, lacking, scanty, scarce, scant. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to insufficient

Explore words related to insufficient — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include sufficient, inadequateness, adequate, insufficiency, insufficiently, inadequacy, lacks, skimpiness. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for insufficient

Common synonyms for insufficient include deficient, inadequate, lacking, scanty, scarce, scant, unsatisfactory, failing — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does insufficient come from?

The word insufficient breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: suf-, from Latin sub (“under, below”); and -fic, from Latin facio (“make, do”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.