less adequate to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less adequate to" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when comparing the sufficiency or suitability of something in relation to another, but it is better to use more standard expressions. Example: "The new software is less adequate to handle the increased workload compared to the previous version."

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

In the plan, Mr. Romney says that "before President Obama exploded the size of the federal government, our existing tax rates were more or less adequate to pay for the government we needed".

The New York Times

Second, because these regions differ along a number of dimensions, for instance in terms of industrial structure, number of firms and employment, it is less adequate to compare the absolute number of projects in the different regions.

Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Deprived of these independent measures, our knowledge has no reference outside the mind and no standard for revising or improving our conceptual measures as more or less adequate to what we are trying to understand.

SEP

Both LTE RU and WLAN RU, however, are less adequate to provide relevant information about the real cell load level when the user traffic is full buffer-alike, i.e., a single UE is capable of utilizing all the available cell resources.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

As new crises arise and old challenges refuse to budge, our problems appear less and less tractable, our responses less and less adequate to the tasks before us.

Huffington Post

As bevacizumab treatment results are not predominantly cytoreductive, RECIST is less adequate to predict treatment efficacy.

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Determined to avoid the "two great dogmas of aesthetics" — that there is only one valid visual style, and that all styles are equally acceptable — de Botton explores how particular works of architecture succeed, by offering "more or less adequate responses to our genuine psychological needs".

The New Yorker

Young people with neurological impairments such as epilepsy are known to receive less adequate services compared to young people with other long-term conditions.

BMC Pediatrics

Desperately, Justinian's great general called for reinforcements from the East; if ever they came, they were slow in arriving and proved numerically less than adequate to the task confronting them.

Encyclopedia Britannica

If emotions are perceptions, and can be more or less epistemically adequate to their objects, then emotions may have a further contribution to make to the moral life, depending on what sort of adequacy and what sort of objects are involved.

SEP

That our current healthcare system is less than adequate to support the needs and expectations of the "silver tsunami" of the baby boomers is far from new.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less adequate to", consider whether a more precise term like "less suitable", "less sufficient", or "less effective" might better convey your intended meaning.

Common error

Avoid constructing sentences that unnecessarily rely on passive voice when using "less adequate to". Directly state the subject that is inadequate rather than obscuring it with passive constructions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less adequate to" functions primarily as a comparative adjective phrase. It is used to describe something as being not as sufficient or suitable as something else for a particular purpose, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less adequate to" is used to express that something is not as sufficient or suitable as something else for a specific purpose. While grammatically acceptable, it's often more effective to use clearer alternatives like "less suitable for" or "less sufficient for". Ludwig AI indicates that while not incorrect, it's not the most common or elegant choice. The phrase appears primarily in scientific and news contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less sufficient for

Replaces "adequate" with "sufficient", emphasizing a lack of required quantity or degree.

less suitable for

Focuses on appropriateness rather than mere adequacy.

less equipped to

Highlights a lack of preparedness or necessary resources.

less prepared to

Emphasizes a lack of readiness to handle a situation or task.

less capable of

Shifts the focus to a lack of inherent ability.

less effective at

Highlights a reduced ability to produce the desired outcome.

not as good at

Offers a simpler, more direct way to express comparative inadequacy.

falls short of

Emphasizes a failure to meet a certain standard or requirement.

deficient in

Highlights a lack of a specific quality or attribute needed for adequacy.

lacking the ability to

Focuses on the absence of a specific skill or capacity.

FAQs

How can I use "less adequate to" in a sentence?

You can use "less adequate to" to compare the suitability of something for a particular purpose, such as: "The old system is "less adequate to" handle the current workload than the new system."

What are some alternatives to "less adequate to"?

Alternatives include "less suitable for", "less sufficient for", or "less effective at". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "less adequate to" grammatically correct?

While grammatically acceptable, "less adequate to" may sound somewhat awkward. It's generally better to use more common and direct alternatives like "less suitable for".

What's the difference between "less adequate to" and "inadequate for"?

"Less adequate to" implies a comparison, suggesting something is not as good as something else for a specific purpose. "Inadequate for" indicates a complete lack of suitability for the intended use.