insufficient enough

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "insufficient enough" is not correct in standard written English due to redundancy.
You can use it when trying to emphasize a lack of sufficiency, but it is better to avoid it. Example: "The resources provided were insufficient enough to complete the project on time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

However, the main concern for using HBc VLPs as vaccines is that it is insufficient enough to induce immune responses by using HBc antigens alone.

Nanoscale Research Letters

55, 57, 58 One hypothesis is that the decrease in abdominal SAT, although substantial, may have been insufficient enough to overcome the negative effects of the excess visceral fat on insulin sensitivity, cytokine production, and lipid profile in these subjects.

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

While the origin of such mutations is not known – but could reflect in utero exposure to genotoxicants – it is clear that these mutations alone are insufficient enough to explain the onset of leukemia, which probably requires further "hits" to the precursor cells.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Stating that you are traveling by car, MapMyDay will estimate the time to travel between two events and will warn you if you seem to have insufficient enough time between the end of an event and the start of the following one.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Less than 3percentt is insufficient to generate enough jobs to keep down the unemployment rate or enough tax revenue to maintain public spending at the state and local levels -- among other ills.

The New York Times

United Nations officials have said that three-hour daily humanitarian lulls are insufficient to provide enough food, medicine and other essentials to civilians.

The New York Times

The number of green energy consumers is insufficient, and not enough renewable energy electricity is produced.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

It was concluded that the lower strain levels were insufficient to provide enough driving force for complete recrystallization throughout the entire microstructure of the forged material.

Materials Characterization

The deceased was an average built person with body weight 62 kg, which was insufficient to cause enough gravitational drag, thus preventing decapitation even after sufficient traction.

Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences

In this work we have highlighted the fact that standard mobile devices provide often enough insufficient user experience due to the low supported data rate.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The sources cited include too much work, insufficient pay, not enough time for rest or sleep, too little leisure time, co-worker conflicts and general work-life imbalance.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "insufficient enough" in formal writing. Choose either "insufficient" or "not enough" for clarity and correctness.

Common error

The common error is using both "insufficient" and "enough" together, which is redundant because "insufficient" already implies a lack of sufficiency. Instead, use only one of these words, selecting the one that best fits the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "insufficient enough" functions as an adjective phrase intended to describe a lack of something. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's considered grammatically incorrect due to its redundant nature.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "insufficient enough" may occasionally surface, it is generally deemed grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI specifies, this is due to its redundant nature, as "insufficient" already conveys the meaning of "not enough". The phrase, while aiming to express inadequacy, is better replaced by clearer and more accepted alternatives such as "insufficient" or "not enough", particularly in formal and professional contexts. While examples can be found across various domains including Science, News & Media, and Wiki, adherence to standard grammar suggests avoiding the phrase in favor of its more concise and correct counterparts. Use of correct alternatives is advised.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not sufficient

Replaces the redundant "insufficient enough" with a more concise expression of inadequacy.

inadequate

A single-word synonym that directly conveys the meaning of 'not sufficient'.

not enough

A simpler and more common way to express that something is lacking.

deficient

Indicates a lack or shortage, highlighting the incompleteness.

lacking

Emphasizes the absence of something necessary or desired.

too little

Focuses on the quantity being less than what is required.

scarce

Highlights the limited availability of something.

meager

Suggests that something is scanty or insufficient in amount or quality.

paltry

Implies that something is insignificantly small or worthless.

minimal

Indicates the least possible amount or degree.

FAQs

Is "insufficient enough" grammatically correct?

No, "insufficient enough" is considered grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. "Insufficient" already means "not enough", so using both words together is unnecessary.

What is a better alternative to "insufficient enough"?

Better alternatives include "insufficient" or "not enough". The choice depends on the specific context, but both are more grammatically sound.

When is it acceptable to use "insufficient enough"?

While technically incorrect, "insufficient enough" might be used in informal speech for emphasis, but it's best to avoid it in formal or professional writing. Stick to "insufficient" or "not enough" for clarity and precision.

What's the difference between "insufficient" and "insufficient enough"?

"Insufficient" means not sufficient or inadequate, while "insufficient enough" is a redundant and grammatically incorrect way of saying the same thing. Using "insufficient" alone is the correct and preferred option.