insufficiently

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "insufficiently" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a lack of adequacy or sufficiency in various contexts, such as performance, resources, or information. Example: "The report was insufficiently detailed, leading to confusion among the team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Paris-based thinktank notes the budget deficit has been "significantly reduced since the peak of 2009, but at a slower pace recently notably as growth has been insufficiently tax-rich".

The Guardian - Business

Although the government has an overall majority of 12 seats in the Commons, Cameron is massively outnumbered in the House of Lords, and his whips will have to be alert to any signs of rebellions by backbench MPs, possibly made restive by the prime minister's promotion of an insufficiently ambitious EU renegotiation agenda.

The Guardian

But there was recurring evidence that he could be insensitive to democratic demands and insufficiently wary of authoritarian regimes.

The Guardian

This was insufficiently recognised at the start of scaling-up, where increased funding was directly linked to assumed greater impact".

The Guardian

Villains unworthy of vilification can be found in everything from the Austin Powers comedies, where the insufficiently wicked plans of Dr Evil positively drip bathos, to Skyfall, where Javier Bardem essentially played a neglected son jealous of Bond's relationship with their surrogate mother, M. Children's films have been veering this way for a while.

The Guardian - Film

Warsi was thought insufficiently clubbable, which was inevitable when her agenda was to change the club culture.

The Guardian - Opinion

Of course, Labour should be on the side of ladder climbers, but it has been insufficiently sensitive to the shadow they cast over those who cannot or do not want to climb with them.

The Guardian - Opinion

But Austin portrayed a battle to recapture Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, as long off, owing to an insufficiently capable Iraqi army.

The Guardian

Bennett will want to take votes off Labour and the Liberal Democrats, so she needs to portray them both as insufficiently radical on issues such as nationalising the railways.

The Guardian

Nations that had been insufficiently or too fervidly imagined – Burma and Pakistan come to mind – could not break free of their flawed origins, and have kept lurching for much of the last half-century between civilian and military despots.

The Guardian - Opinion

The delay in publishing the names arose because the sample size was deemed insufficiently robust "and may have given a false picture of the situation across the country", he said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "insufficiently", ensure the context clearly indicates what is lacking or inadequate. For example, "The data was insufficiently detailed to draw a firm conclusion."

Common error

Avoid using "insufficiently" without specifying what aspect is deficient. For example, instead of saying "The analysis was insufficiently thorough", clarify with "The analysis was insufficiently thorough in its examination of long-term effects."

Linguistic Context

The adverb "insufficiently" modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate a deficiency in the degree or extent of an action, quality, or manner. It expresses that something is not adequate or sufficient for a particular purpose. Ludwig provides numerous examples demonstrating its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "insufficiently" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adverb that indicates a lack of adequacy. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most commonly found in news, business, and scientific contexts. When using "insufficiently", ensure that the scope of the deficiency is clear to avoid ambiguity. Consider alternatives such as "inadequately" or "not enough" to add variety to your writing. Ludwig's examples highlight the versatility and correctness of this term across a range of formal and informal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Not sufficiently

Rephrasing of the original term, providing a slightly different emphasis.

Inadequately

Direct synonym, emphasizing the lack of required quality or quantity.

Not enough

Simple and direct way of expressing a lack of sufficiency.

Deficiently

Focuses on the presence of a specific deficiency or shortcoming.

Lacking

Highlights the absence of something necessary or desirable.

Scarcely

Emphasizes a minimal or barely adequate amount.

Poorly

Indicates a substandard or unsatisfactory level of performance or quality.

Barely

Stresses the narrow margin by which something meets a requirement.

Hardly

Similar to 'scarcely', indicating a minimal degree or extent.

To a limited extent

More formal expression indicating a restricted degree of sufficiency.

FAQs

How can I use "insufficiently" in a sentence?

Use "insufficiently" to indicate that something lacks the necessary quality or quantity. For example, "The budget was "insufficiently funded" to complete the project."

What are some alternatives to saying "insufficiently"?

You can use alternatives like "inadequately", "not enough", or "deficiently" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "insufficiently" or "not sufficiently"?

Both "insufficiently" and "not sufficiently" are correct, but "insufficiently" is more concise. The choice depends on the desired tone and style.

What's the difference between "insufficiently" and "inadequately"?

"Insufficiently" and "inadequately" are largely synonymous, both indicating a lack of sufficiency. However, "inadequately" may sometimes imply a lower standard or quality than "insufficiently".