utterly insufficient

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "utterly insufficient" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is completely inadequate or not enough to meet a certain standard or requirement. Example: "The resources provided for the project were utterly insufficient to achieve our goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

"Without policy competition, we're stuck with a status quo that's both utterly insufficient and inefficient".

The New Yorker

"This is utterly insufficient," said a spokesman for Save the Children.

Independent

"But it is well overdue and utterly insufficient on its own to satisfy basic principles of transparency and accountability".

The Guardian

As a theory of how we got to this point, Alexander's view supplies a powerful logic but is of little comfort to advocates of piecemeal reforms, which she regards as "utterly insufficient".

The New Yorker

"Urban agriculture is of course utterly insufficient to feed the urban population, but it is very important to maintain local supply chains and provide livelihoods and subsistence for urban farmers," he says.

The Guardian

The Utterly Insufficient Efforts to Separate Trump from His Businesses White House in Panic Mode After TV Star With Racist Twitter Feed Loses Job The Teachers' Strike and the Democratic Revival in Oklahoma Starbucks and the Issue of White Space Trump Addresses Rally of Ambien Users Subscribe to The New Yorkerfor only $1 a week.Plus, get a free tote.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

The word "chutzpah" is insufficient to describe how utterly indefensible the Republican position is, intellectually.Furthermore, Republicans have a completely indefensible position on taxes.

The Economist

But a mere conjunction seems insufficient: the desire and belief could be utterly unrelated (Davis 1984, pp. 141 2).

SEP

West of Santa Fe, he headed into the Jemez range, the thin air insufficient for his breathing, so that he panted, the roads utterly dark.

The New Yorker

There was insufficient training for the staff, a shortage of IT equipment and an utterly chaotic schedule.

The Guardian - Sport

Local NGO's and volunteers, working around-the-clock to support insufficient state services now stretched to breaking point, described the situation as "utterly overwhelming".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "utterly insufficient" to emphasize a severe lack or inadequacy, particularly when you want to express a strong sense of disappointment or disapproval. For example, instead of saying "the budget was insufficient", try "the budget was utterly insufficient" to highlight the severity of the shortfall.

Common error

Avoid using "utterly insufficient" in casual conversation or informal writing. The phrase is quite formal and can sound overly dramatic or pretentious in everyday settings. Simpler alternatives like "not enough" or "completely lacking" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "utterly insufficient" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, where "utterly" modifies and intensifies the meaning of the adjective "insufficient". This intensifier emphasizes the complete inadequacy of something, as exemplified by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "utterly insufficient" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase that functions as an intensifier to express a strong sense of inadequacy. As noted by Ludwig, it commonly appears in formal contexts like news, media and scientific writing, emphasizing a severe lack or deficiency. When using this phrase, remember to consider the formality of your context and ensure that its strong emphasis aligns with your intended message. If the formality doesn't match your context it is better to use alternative phrases such as "completely inadequate" or "totally deficient".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completely inadequate

Replaces "utterly" with "completely" and "insufficient" with "inadequate", maintaining the same level of intensity.

totally deficient

Substitutes "insufficient" with "deficient", implying a lack of necessary qualities or elements.

wholly inadequate

Uses "wholly" instead of "utterly", emphasizing the complete and absolute nature of the inadequacy.

entirely lacking

Replaces the adjective "insufficient" with the verb phrase "entirely lacking", shifting the grammatical structure slightly.

patently inadequate

Replaces "utterly" with "patently", suggesting that the inadequacy is obvious and readily apparent.

manifestly insufficient

Uses "manifestly" instead of "utterly", indicating that the insufficiency is clear and evident.

woefully inadequate

Replaces "utterly" with "woefully", adding an element of regret or disappointment to the inadequacy.

hopelessly lacking

Substitutes "insufficient" with "lacking", conveying a sense of futility or impossibility in overcoming the deficiency.

decidedly insufficient

Uses "decidedly" instead of "utterly", suggesting that the insufficiency is clear and unquestionable.

clearly not enough

Expresses the idea of insufficiency in a more straightforward and less formal manner.

FAQs

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

You can use "utterly insufficient" to describe something that is completely inadequate or lacking. For example, "The funds allocated for the project were "utterly insufficient" to meet the project's goals."

What are some alternatives to saying "utterly insufficient"?

Alternatives include "completely inadequate", "totally deficient", or "wholly inadequate", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "utterly insufficient" formal or informal?

"Utterly insufficient" is generally considered a formal phrase. In more informal contexts, you might prefer simpler expressions like "not enough" or "completely lacking".

What's the difference between "insufficient" and "utterly insufficient"?

The word "utterly" intensifies the meaning of "insufficient". While "insufficient" means simply not enough, ""utterly insufficient"" emphasizes that something is completely and totally inadequate.