inadequate
inadequate
Pronunciation
inadequate (ɪnˈædɪkwɪt)
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
in (ɪn)
/ɪ/ - short vowel sound like "i" in "win"
/n/ - voiced alveolar consonant (pronounced at the ridge behind your upper front teeth)
ad (æd)
/æ/ - short vowel sound like the "a" in "cat"
/d/ - voiced alveolar plosive (stop consonant made by stopping the airflow with your tongue against the ridge behind your upper front teeth)
e (ɪ)
/ɪ/ - same sound as the first syllable
quate (kwɪt)
/k/ - voiceless velar plosive (stop consonant made by stopping the airflow at the back of the mouth near the soft palate)
/w/ - voiced labiovelar approximant (rounded consonant sound with the lips slightly rounded and the back of the tongue near the soft palate)
/ɪ/ - same sound as the first and second syllable
/t/ - voiceless alveolar plosive (stop consonant sound made by stopping the airflow with your tongue against the ridge behind your upper front teeth)
Word Form Variations
"Inadequate" itself doesn't have variations based on plurality. It functions as an adjective and describes something as insufficient or not meeting a standard.
Here's what the word variations look like:
Base adjective: inadequate
Comparative adjective: more inadequate (used for comparing two things)
Superlative adjective: most inadequate (used for comparing three or more things)
Adverb: inadequately (describes how something is done in an inadequate way)
Noun: inadequacy (the state of being inadequate)
There's no plural form for "inadequate" because it describes a characteristic, not a physical object with a quantity.
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Adjective:
Definition: Not good enough, sufficient, or capable for a particular purpose; insufficient in quality or amount.
Synonyms: insufficient, deficient, lacking, poor, substandard, incompetent, unfit, incapable
Antonyms: adequate, sufficient, enough, competent, capable
Adverb:
Definition: In a way that is not good enough, sufficient, or capable.
Synonyms: insufficiently, deficiently, poorly, inadequately, incompetently
Antonyms: adequately, sufficiently, well, competently
Noun:
Definition: The state or quality of being inadequate; lack of sufficiency or capability.
Synonyms: insufficiency, deficiency, lack, shortfall, incompetence, incapability
Antonyms: adequacy, sufficiency, capability, competence
Examples of Use
Books:
"The detective's investigation was hampered by inadequate resources." (Classic detective novel)
Newspapers:
"A recent study revealed inadequate funding for public schools in rural areas." (National newspaper)
Online Publications:
"The online review criticised the restaurant's inadequate portion sizes." (Restaurant review website)
Entertainment Mediums:
"In the video game, the player character received an inadequate reward for completing the quest." (Action RPG)
Public Discourse:
"The politician's response to the crisis was deemed inadequate by many citizens." (Public debate)
Social Media:
"My phone's battery life is so inadequate, I can barely get through the day." (Social media post)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Inadequate
While there aren't many direct uses of "inadequate" in super famous quotes, here are 10 quotes that capture the essence of inadequacy or its opposite:
"Don't be afraid of death so much as an inadequate life." (Erich Fromm) (This quote implies the fear of not achieving enough in life)
"The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is enough." (Gro Harlem Brundtland) (This emphasises the concept of adequacy)
"There is no shorter road to defeat than by entering a war with inadequate preparation." (Colin Powell) (Highlights the dangers of insufficiency)
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (This quote suggests a life lacking purpose could be seen as inadequate)
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." (William Arthur Ward) (This implies different levels of adequacy in teaching)
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." (Helen Keller) (This suggests a purely materialistic life might be inadequate)
"The unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates) (This quote implies living without self-reflection could be considered inadequate)
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." (Albert Einstein) (Similar to Emerson's quote, emphasises a life of contribution over mere success)
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) (This suggests settling for less than your potential could be inadequate)
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Lao Tzu) (This quote highlights that even small efforts can be sufficient to begin something meaningful)
Etymology
The word "inadequate" is basically a mashup of two smaller words with Latin roots.
In- is a prefix that means "not" or "opposite of." Think of words like "incapable" (not capable) or "inactive" (not active).
Adequate comes from the Latin word "aequare" which means "to equalise" or "to make equal."
So, put them together, "inadequate" literally means "not equal" to what's needed or expected.
The word itself is pretty new. The first time we saw "inadequate" used in writing was around the 1670s. Back then, it meant the same thing it does today: something that just isn't good enough for the job.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Inadequate
Here's a list of phrases and idioms that use "inadequate" in various ways:
Inadequate to the task: This means someone or something lacks the ability or resources to handle a situation.
Fall short: This idiom implies something doesn't meet expectations or reach a desired level. (e.g., "The presentation fell short of expectations.")
Leave much to be desired: This suggests something is lacking in quality or fails to satisfy.
A drop in the bucket: This idiom refers to an effort that's too small to make a significant difference. (e.g., "The additional funding was a drop in the bucket for the project.")
Be at a loss: This means someone is unsure how to proceed due to insufficient information or resources.
Barely scrape by: This idiom describes struggling to get by with just enough, often implying inadequacy.
A pale imitation: This refers to a poor copy or version of something, highlighting its inadequacy.
Not up to snuff: This is a more informal way of saying something isn't good enough or doesn't meet standards.
Penny-pinching: This describes being overly frugal or unwilling to spend enough, potentially leading to inadequacy in results.
Be a band-aid solution: This idiom refers to a temporary fix that doesn't address the root cause of a problem, implying inadequacy for long-term solutions.
Posts Related to Inadequate
Source Information
Definition of inadequate from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
