moderately adequate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "moderately adequate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that meets a certain standard but is not exceptional, indicating a middle level of sufficiency. Example: "The results of the experiment were moderately adequate, providing just enough data to support our hypothesis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Chi-square tests were used to test the difference between GCM and UC in sociodemographic variables and proportion of patients using minimally adequate medication dose and proportion using moderately adequate medication dose and proportion using moderately adequate medication dose for at least 75% of each time period.

BMC Family Practice

The respondents' reports of their consultation behaviour reflected moderately adequate behaviour in exploring patients' perspectives (mean 64%) and in interaction with low health literate patients (mean 60%) while the score on exploring patients' social contexts was on average low (46%).

BMC Medical Education

The knowledge of HCWs as it relates to HIV/AIDS was moderately adequate in this study which is similar to another South African study [ 37], and a Nigerian study which also reported satisfactory knowledge of HIV/AIDS amongst the participating HCWs in SSA [ 24].

BMC Medical Ethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

So long as you drink moderately and with adequate pacing, though, you should be fine no matter what you consume so long as it's not clearly dangerous bathtub gin.

Vice

Ponderosa pine prospers under moderately warm climates with adequate winter and early growing season precipitation (Oliver 1990), especially for Pinus ponderosa var.

Ecological Processes

This finding would suggest, for the case of forced random vibration of a clamped-clamped beam, that a SDOF beam model is adequate for moderately large amplitude prediction but wholly inadequate at very large amplitudes.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

This choice of DDF matches the tests performed for balanced designs and could be adequate for moderately unbalanced designs [ 15].

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Haldorsen et al. [ 16] showed that, for return-to-work, light multidisciplinary treatment was adequate for moderately-disabled but not for highly-disabled patients.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

I steered a middle course and found the $70 dinner to be more than adequate for a moderately hearty appetite, and bristling with enough surprises to fill an evening.

The New York Times - Arts

It is easy to maintain, comprise a fast development, and its embryos are moderately transparent and therefore an adequate choice for developmental studies [17].

Environmental Sciences Europe

Lake resident rainbow trout are usually found in moderately deep, cool lakes with adequate shallows and vegetation to support production of sufficient food sources.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "moderately adequate" when you want to express a level of sufficiency that is neither high nor low, indicating a middle ground. It's useful when describing something that meets requirements but doesn't exceed them.

Common error

Avoid using "moderately adequate" when a stronger term like "highly effective" or "excellent" is more appropriate. Misusing the phrase can downplay positive attributes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "moderately adequate" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating a level of sufficiency that is neither high nor low. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically sound, and the examples show it being used to describe things like knowledge, behavior, and resources.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "moderately adequate" is a grammatically correct adjective phrase used to describe something that meets a standard without exceeding it. As Ludwig AI indicates, while not extremely common, the phrase is suitable for expressing a qualified assessment in various contexts, particularly in science, news, and business. To enhance clarity, consider using alternatives such as "somewhat sufficient" or "fairly acceptable" depending on the desired nuance. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended meaning and avoids overstating the level of adequacy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moderately acceptable

Substitutes "adequate" with "acceptable", keeping the "moderately" adverb to maintain the same intensity.

somewhat sufficient

Replaces "adequate" with "sufficient", maintaining a similar level of meaning but sounding slightly more formal.

reasonably satisfactory

Substitutes both words to convey a similar degree of acceptability or suitability.

fairly acceptable

Uses different adjectives to express a similar level of moderate acceptability.

adequately good

Inverts the structure, focusing on the positive quality of being good, but only to an adequate degree.

sufficient to a degree

Rephrases the concept to highlight the limited extent of sufficiency.

passably decent

Emphasizes that something barely meets the minimum requirement for being acceptable.

tolerably suitable

Suggests that something is acceptable but not ideal, implying a slight compromise.

acceptably average

Highlights the mediocrity, acceptable because its average.

serviceable enough

Focuses on the functionality, barely enough for its intended use.

FAQs

How can I use "moderately adequate" in a sentence?

You can use "moderately adequate" to describe something that meets a certain standard but is not exceptional. For example, "The resources were "moderately adequate" for the task, but more would have been helpful."

What are some alternatives to "moderately adequate"?

Alternatives to "moderately adequate" include "somewhat sufficient", "fairly acceptable", or "reasonably satisfactory". The best choice depends on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "adequate" or "moderately adequate"?

Using "moderately adequate" specifies the degree of adequacy, suggesting it's neither outstanding nor deficient. "Adequate" alone implies a basic level of sufficiency. The choice depends on the desired level of precision.

What is the difference between "moderately adequate" and "very adequate"?

"Moderately adequate" suggests a middle ground where something just meets the requirements. "Very adequate" implies a much higher level of sufficiency, suggesting something is well-suited and more than meets the necessary criteria.