substantially adequate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially adequate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is sufficiently good or acceptable, though not perfect, in a particular context. Example: "The resources provided for the project were substantially adequate to meet the team's needs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Formal & Business

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

However, previous studies have shown that, particularly for children, this methodology tends to be substantially adequate in reflecting actual exposure to power lines-induced magnetic fields, and that this source of exposure tends to exceed the contribution of other sources such as home appliances [ 11], particularly in the case of high voltage transmission lines [ 12].

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Children and adolescent patients, although they do not strictly fulfil the CDC criteria, will benefit from an early intervention, with a substantially more adequate therapeutic response [ 53].

BMC Psychiatry

The physical properties of the drug-eluting balloons, however, need to be improved substantially to achieve adequate technical success rates, thereby making this procedure applicable in patients with elongated supra-aortic and intracranial vessels.

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology

In the event that there are two or more explanatorily adequate but substantially different systems of intentional ascriptions to an individual, however, Dennett claims there is no fact of the matter about what the individual believes (1987b , 1991.

SEP

This can substantially improve to determine adequate duration of antibiotic therapy with favorable effects on resistance and intensive care costs.

Critical Care

Given the statistical measures of model fit provided in Tables 2 and 3 (adjusted R, AIC, and root MSE), all three models show adequate and substantially similar model fit.

Environmental Health Perspectives

The results indicate that such corrosion resistant hybridized column can substantially reduce the residual displacement with adequate energy dissipation capacity during earthquakes.

Construction and Building Materials

Total carbon concentration was positively correlated with labile carbon, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity and extractable sulfur, suggesting that for a given parent material and climate, maintaining adequate pasture nutrition may substantially increase soil carbon stocks.

Geoderma

"Poverty and extreme poverty has substantially limited families access to an adequate diet, and this is particularly evident after natural disasters or economic crises," said Mr. Engebak.

Unicef

In tempered-cold arid regions with a generous solar resource, adequate design and technology can substantially reduce the energy demand for space and water heating in urban buildings.

Renewable Energy

In temperate-cold arid regions with a generous solar resource, such as those of western Argentina, adequate design and technology can substantially reduce the energy demand for space and water heating in urban buildings.

Renewable Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantially adequate", ensure that the context clarifies what standard of adequacy is being met, as it implies acceptability without necessarily implying perfection or optimality. For example, specify what is "substantially adequate" for: resources, quality, performance, etc.

Common error

Avoid using "substantially adequate" when a higher degree of suitability or perfection is required. This phrase suggests acceptability, not superiority. Reserve it for situations where meeting a reasonable threshold is sufficient.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially adequate" functions as an adjectival phrase that modifies a noun, describing the degree to which something meets a certain requirement or standard. As Ludwig AI explains, it suggests that something is acceptably sufficient, though it may not be perfect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantially adequate" is an adjectival phrase used to describe something that is sufficiently good or acceptable, though not necessarily perfect. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It is most frequently found in scientific contexts, followed by news and media. When using this phrase, it's important to consider the specific requirements being addressed and avoid overstating the degree of suitability. Related phrases include "reasonably sufficient" and "fairly acceptable". Although "substantially adequate" is not extremely common, it serves a specific purpose in conveying a level of acceptability that meets basic thresholds without implying perfection.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reasonably sufficient

Indicates a level of adequacy that meets requirements but may not exceed them significantly; implies practicality.

fairly acceptable

Highlights that something is acceptable to a reasonable degree, though it may not be optimal.

largely satisfactory

Emphasizes that most aspects meet satisfaction criteria with possible minor shortcomings.

adequately sufficient

A more emphatic version of "adequate", underscoring sufficiency.

considerably suitable

Suggests a notable degree of suitability for a specific purpose or context.

appreciably fitting

Highlights that something aligns with the intended purpose or context in a way that is noticeable.

noticeably acceptable

Emphasizes that the level of acceptability is easily recognized or apparent.

markedly adequate

Indicates that the level of adequacy is distinctly noticeable or significant.

materially sufficient

Stresses that the sufficiency is important or consequential in the given context.

significantly acceptable

Implies that the level of acceptability is substantial and noteworthy.

FAQs

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

Use "substantially adequate" to describe something that is sufficiently good or acceptable for a particular purpose, though not necessarily perfect. For example: "The resources provided were "substantially adequate" to meet the project's initial needs".

What are some alternatives to "substantially adequate"?

Consider using alternatives like "reasonably sufficient", "fairly acceptable", or "largely satisfactory" depending on the context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is "substantially adequate" the same as "completely adequate"?

No, "substantially adequate" implies a degree of acceptability that meets a basic threshold, while "completely adequate" suggests that all requirements are fully met. The former allows for minor imperfections, while the latter does not.

When is it appropriate to use "substantially adequate" instead of "adequate"?

Use "substantially adequate" when you want to emphasize that something is more than just barely adequate but not necessarily excellent. It's useful when a mid-range level of sufficiency is being highlighted.