not enough

ADJECTIVE

deficient

Synonyms

STRONGEST

defective faulty flawed impaired incomplete inferior insufficient lacking scarce skimpy unsatisfactory weak

WEAK

amiss bad damaged exiguous found wanting infrequent injured marred meager not cut out for not make it not up to scratch outta gas rare scant scanty second fiddle second string short shy sketchy third-string unassembled unequal unfinished wanting

Antonyms

STRONGEST

abundant adequate enough perfect strong sufficient

WEAK

ample excessive faultless flawless satisfactory superfluous

ADJECTIVE

inadequate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

deficient faulty incompetent incomplete lacking meager poor sad scarce sketchy skimpy unequal weak

WEAK

bare barren bush-league depleted dry failing feeble found wanting glitch imperfect impotent inappreciable inapt incapable incommensurate inconsiderable insubstantial junk lame lemon lousy low minus miserly parsimonious scanty short shy small spare sparse sterile stinted stunted thin too little unproductive unqualified

Antonyms

STRONGEST

able abundant adequate capable complete enough full perfect potent strong sufficient

WEAK

competent

ADJECTIVE

undermanned

Synonyms

STRONGEST

shorthanded

WEAK

found wanting incomplete scarce short shy too little

ADVERB

inadequately

Synonyms

STRONGEST

partially

WEAK

badly deficiently incompetently incompletely ineffectively ineffectually inefficiently ineptly meagerly partly perfunctorily scantily

NOUN

drop in the bucket

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bit trivial amount

STRONG

pittance small amount small change small potatoes small quantity

WEAK

Band-Aid cosmetic measure disappointment drop in the ocean lick and a promise miniscule amount speck spit in the sea too little too late trifle

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Leshok notes that there are not enough rockets to meet demand and that the appetite for satellites continues to fuel the space economy.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

That phrasing wildly overstates the case, perhaps conveying the impression that there is some voter fraud, even an uncomfortable amount, but just not enough to sway an election.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026

But it’s not enough to stanch what the county estimates will be a $700-million annual loss by the 2028-29 fiscal year.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026

Having promised to reverse what he called the "hollowing out" of the armed forces, the settlement Healey was offered on Monday was not enough for him.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

“It’s not enough that Haitians get destroyed by everything else,” Farmer told me.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

not enough

Example Sentences

Related Words