relatively insufficient

USAGE SUMMARY

"relatively insufficient" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is not entirely or completely deficient in a particular regard, but rather only significantly lacking in comparison to other things. For example, you could say, "This research project had relatively insufficient funding compared to other projects in the same field."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Some of the present weakness in the economy may be attributable to the fact that the fiscal efforts thus far, while large, have been relatively insufficient to offset the collapsing supply of private money.The need for higher levels of government debt to offset declining levels of bank debt has not been part of the discussion about equity capital requirements.

The Economist

Diabetes is caused by absolute or relatively insufficient insulin secretion.

Nanoscale Research Letters

As such, in most cities around the world, vehicle detectors for traffic data collection are relatively insufficient to meet requirements.

Control Engineering Practice

Compared to the high hardness, wear resistance and excellent friction properties, in many cases, the adhesion of a-C H films is rela-C Hly insufilmsent.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Oil recovery efficiency from oil reservoirs under natural driving mechanisms in most cases is relatively insufficient process and results in a low overall oil recovery.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

As information technology is developing, optional features of mobile phone are increasing while considerations on basic user interface such as key response time are relatively insufficient.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Having been defeated militarily, the Islamist groups were forced to leave the resourceful maquis of northern Algeria, where camouflage had been relatively easy but insufficient to ensure their survival against a regular army increasingly on the offensive and committed to their eradication.

BBC

Indeed, when the spatial resolution is insufficient relatively to the maximal curvature radius of fiber bundles, tracts that cross in reality may kiss in the tractography reconstruction and vice versa, thus creating aberrant solutions.

Plosone

For instance, irregular borders can appear relatively smooth when insufficient resolution is used or when the tumour is small.

Cancer Imaging

The overall conclusion from these studies is that coaching and practice between sitting and re-sitting the UMAT have had little if no effect on UMAT-1 and UMAT-2 while the effect on UMAT-3 has been relatively small and insufficient to influence the overall UMAT score utilised for medical student selection.

BMC Medical Education

But if our intervention is something that is going to boost the immune response then it's critical that we define the response and we explicitly define it as hyporesponsiveness, just as Annane et al. showed that patients who are relatively steroid adrenal insufficient are those that respond to corticosteroids.

Critical Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "relatively insufficient", clarify what standard or comparison you are using to determine the insufficiency. This provides context and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "relatively insufficient" when the deficiency is absolute or severe. The phrase implies a comparison, so ensure a clear reference point exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relatively insufficient" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun by indicating the degree to which it falls short of being adequate. Ludwig examples showcase how it qualifies nouns like 'insulin secretion', 'sample size', and 'fiscal efforts'.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

85%

News & Media

9%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "relatively insufficient" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that indicates a degree of inadequacy in comparison to a specific standard or requirement. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's suitable for expressing a nuanced assessment, particularly in formal and scientific contexts. Remember to provide a clear reference point for the comparison when using this phrase to avoid ambiguity. While alternatives like "somewhat inadequate" exist, "relatively insufficient" offers a specific and precise way to convey that something falls short without being completely lacking. The phrase's prevalence in scientific literature highlights its utility in academic and technical discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat inadequate

This alternative suggests a mild degree of insufficiency.

moderately deficient

This phrase implies a noticeable lack, but not a complete absence.

partially lacking

This emphasizes the incompleteness of something.

comparatively limited

This highlights a restriction in quantity or scope.

marginally inadequate

This suggests the insufficiency is only slight.

not quite enough

This is a more informal way of expressing insufficiency.

somewhat restricted

This indicates that something is limited in its availability or scope.

comparatively scarce

This highlights that something is rare when compared to something else.

relatively meager

This highlights a small or inadequate amount compared to expectations.

to a limited degree

This phrase indicates a degree of limitation or insufficiency.

FAQs

What does "relatively insufficient" mean?

The phrase "relatively insufficient" indicates that something is lacking to a certain degree when compared to a specific need, expectation, or another item. It implies the insufficiency is not absolute but exists in relation to something else.

How can I use "relatively insufficient" in a sentence?

You can use "relatively insufficient" to describe resources, efforts, or qualities that are not fully adequate for a particular purpose. For example: "The funding for the project was "relatively insufficient" to cover all the necessary research expenses."

What are some alternatives to "relatively insufficient"?

Alternatives include phrases like "somewhat inadequate", "moderately deficient", or "partially lacking". The best choice depends on the specific context and the degree of insufficiency you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "insufficient" or "relatively insufficient"?

Use "insufficient" when something is completely lacking. Use "relatively insufficient" when something is lacking in comparison to something else or a specific standard. For instance, saying "the data was insufficient" means there wasn't enough data at all, but saying "the data was "relatively insufficient"" means there was some data, but not enough for a thorough analysis.