adequate salary

USAGE SUMMARY

"adequate salary" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a salary that is sufficient or enough for a certain job or position. Example: The job offer came with an adequate salary, but I was still hesitant to accept it due to the long commute.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

She added that the company's tax affairs are a very different issue from not paying staff an adequate salary.

The Guardian - Tech

Mr. Goldston, also in a 2011 deposition, said he felt a small percentage of the estate's assets would be "an adequate salary".

The New York Times - Arts

How long before my own job is being done, for a fraction of my scarcely adequate salary, by an Indian in Bangalore?

The Economist

It also says that the Legislature has denied the judges' constitutional right to an adequate salary, "proportionate to their learning, experience and elevated position," and that it has discriminated against them because most other state employees had seen pay increases.

The New York Times

Indeed, the governor is resisting the Democratic-controlled Assembly's demand for an increase of $1.7 billion in statewide school aid over two years, which Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver -- an ally of Ms. Weingarten -- says would be enough to pay for an adequate salary increase.

The New York Times

On Thursday, Judge Kaye filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state's 1,250 judges, charging that the political process has denied them their constitutional right to an "adequate" salary, because the State Legislature has refused to give them a raise for the last decade.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Have the correspondents considered how their very adequate salaries are paid?

The Guardian

Andersen Consulting recently announced a package of £10,000 "golden hellos", on top of more than adequate salaries, to attract new staff.

The Guardian - Money

In Mr. Sansum's defense, Mr. Aidala said that "the way the corporation operated was that in lieu of adequate salaries to the shareholders, business credit cards were issued and used by the members of the corporation for their own personal expenses".

The New York Times

I believe it is time for union leaders and orchestra leaders to come together and develop a more realistic compensation scheme that results in far more music being broadcast; this ultimately will result in more actual compensation for musicians and will result in the audience development we need to provide adequate salaries in the future.

Huffington Post

Staff members at all levels were accepting of the task-shifting model, but all cadres reinforced the need for ongoing training, supervision as well as adequate salaries for activities and the need for steady stocks of materials and supplies.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing employment conditions, use "adequate salary" to convey that the compensation meets basic needs and job expectations, but perhaps not exceeding them. For example: "The company aimed to provide an "adequate salary" to ensure employee retention."

Common error

Avoid using "adequate salary" when you mean a highly competitive salary. An adequate salary merely meets basic requirements, while a competitive salary is designed to attract top talent and may exceed market norms. If you mean a more than average remuneration, use a more fitting phrase like "generous compensation package".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "adequate salary" functions primarily as a noun phrase that describes the sufficiency of a salary. According to Ludwig AI, it is considered correct and usable in written English. Examples from Ludwig show it used in contexts ranging from discussing employment conditions to legal disputes.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

42%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "adequate salary" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe a level of compensation that is sufficient or satisfactory, but not necessarily generous. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is appropriate for use in written English across various professional and academic contexts.

Analysis of usage patterns reveals that "adequate salary" is frequently found in news and media, scientific publications, and business communications. This demonstrates its relevance in discussing employment conditions, research funding, and compensation policies.

While "adequate salary" is often used interchangeably with phrases like "sufficient compensation", "reasonable remuneration", and "livable wage", it's crucial to distinguish it from terms like "competitive salary", which implies a higher level of compensation designed to attract top talent. In summary, when discussing compensation, ensure the phrase aligns with the intended meaning of sufficient versus exceptional pay.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sufficient compensation

Replaces "salary" with "compensation" and "adequate" with "sufficient", emphasizing the amount is enough.

reasonable remuneration

Uses "remuneration" instead of "salary", making it more formal, and "reasonable" instead of "adequate".

livable wage

Focuses on the wage being sufficient to live on, shifting the emphasis from adequacy to practical necessity.

fair compensation

Replaces "adequate" with "fair", introducing an element of justice and equity.

satisfactory pay

Substitutes both words, using "satisfactory" to mean acceptable and "pay" as a synonym for salary.

decent income

Broadens the term from "salary" to "income", suggesting a general financial well-being.

acceptable wage

Uses "wage" instead of "salary", which often refers to hourly compensation, and "acceptable" for "adequate".

appropriate compensation

Replaces "adequate" with "appropriate", suggesting the pay is suitable for the role.

suitable salary

Emphasizes the fitness of the salary for the position or the employee's needs.

competitive compensation

Highlights that the compensation is comparable to that offered by other employers in the same field.

FAQs

How to use "adequate salary" in a sentence?

You can use "adequate salary" to describe a level of pay that is sufficient but not necessarily generous. For example: "The position offers an "adequate salary", allowing employees to cover their basic living expenses."

What can I say instead of "adequate salary"?

You can use alternatives like "sufficient compensation", "reasonable remuneration", or "livable wage" depending on the context.

Is "adequate salary" the same as "competitive salary"?

No, "adequate salary" indicates that the pay is sufficient or meets the basic needs, while "competitive salary" means the pay is comparable to or better than what other companies offer in the same industry to attract and retain talent.

What factors determine an "adequate salary"?

Factors determining an "adequate salary" may include the cost of living in the area, the job's responsibilities, the employee's experience, and industry standards. It's a salary that's considered enough to meet an individual's needs and expectations for that particular role and location.