adequately investigate

USAGE SUMMARY

"adequately investigate" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to an examinative process being conducted in an appropriate fashion. For example, "The police department is determined to adequately investigate the case."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Carter's comments follow a record number of complaints and federal investigations of colleges over concerns schools have failed to adequately investigate and respond to sexual violence.

Huffington Post

Universities investigated for violations of Title IX, or those that do not adequately investigate charges of sexual assault or harassment, face lengthy and expensive investigations — 246 cases are currently under investigation at 195 campuses.

The New York Times

Congress continues to show reluctance to adequately investigate Iran-Contra.

The New Yorker

She also says Harrah's did not adequately investigate her complaint.

The New York Times - Sports

These include failure to follow certain good manufacturing standards and failure to adequately investigate consumer complaints.

The New York Times

He added that the board had failed to adequately investigate the evidence that he had given them last September.

The New York Times

A federal judge sharply criticized the New York Police Department yesterday for apparently failing to adequately investigate an officer's claims that she was discriminated against for being gay.

The New York Times

A high court judge has criticised the Metropolitan police for failing to adequately investigate allegations of phone hacking by the News of the World.

The Guardian

That deal came under the scrutiny of the State Investigations Commission, which found that the Hempstead agency did not adequately investigate the purchase.

The New York Times

Mr. Pruett said his lawyers could not adequately investigate the theory that inmates were bought off by prison officials to testify against him.

The New York Times

So far, Israel has carried out a series of military investigations, though many critics at home and abroad argue that the military cannot adequately investigate itself.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "adequately investigate", ensure that the context clearly defines the scope and criteria for what constitutes an adequate investigation. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "adequately investigate" without providing context on what standards or metrics define 'adequate' in that situation. Vague usage can weaken your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "adequately investigate" functions as a verb phrase where the adverb "adequately" modifies the verb "investigate". It describes the manner in which an investigation should be conducted, emphasizing that it must be done in a sufficient or satisfactory way. Ludwig AI confirms this is a standard and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

18%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "adequately investigate" is a commonly used and grammatically sound expression that emphasizes the need for a thorough examination. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a valid phrase for expressing the need for proper investigation. It appears most frequently in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business contexts. To ensure clarity in your writing, it's best to define what constitutes an 'adequate' investigation in the specific context. Alternative phrases such as "thoroughly scrutinize" or "carefully assess" can be used to convey a similar meaning. Remember that failing to "adequately investigate" can lead to serious repercussions, as shown in many of the provided examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

properly examine

Focuses on the correctness and adherence to standards during the examination.

thoroughly scrutinize

Emphasizes a detailed and comprehensive level of examination.

carefully assess

Highlights the caution and thoughtfulness involved in the assessment process.

fully analyze

Stresses the completeness of the analytical approach.

comprehensively review

Indicates a wide-ranging and inclusive review process.

sufficiently probe

Suggests an exploration that is adequate for uncovering the necessary information.

appropriately check

Highlights the suitability and relevance of the checking procedures.

expeditiously audit

Emphasizes on doing an audit in an efficient way.

exhaustively research

Points to a very detailed and comprehensive research.

judiciously evaluate

Stresses a careful and reasoned evaluation process.

FAQs

How can I use "adequately investigate" in a sentence?

You can use "adequately investigate" to describe the process of thoroughly examining something, such as, "The authorities must "adequately investigate" the claims made in the report".

What's a more formal way to say "adequately investigate"?

In a more formal setting, you could use phrases like "thoroughly scrutinize", "comprehensively review", or "carefully assess" to convey a similar meaning with a heightened sense of formality.

What does it mean to say that a situation wasn't "adequately investigated"?

Saying something wasn't "adequately investigated" means that the examination or inquiry wasn't thorough enough, missing key details or failing to meet required standards. It implies a deficiency in the investigative process.

What is the difference between "investigate" and ""adequately investigate""?

"Investigate" simply means to inquire into a situation. "Adequately investigate" specifies that the investigation was conducted thoroughly and met the necessary standards for completeness and accuracy.