1. adjective [oft ADJECTIVE to-infinitive, ADJ n to-inf]
If something is sufficientfor a particular purpose, there is enough of it for the purpose.
One metre of fabric is sufficient to cover the exterior of an 18-in-diameter hatbox.
Lighting levels should be sufficient for photography without flash.
There was not sufficient evidence to secure a conviction.
[Also + for]
Synonyms: adequate, enough, ample, satisfactory More Synonyms of sufficient
sufficientlyadverb
She recovered sufficiently to accompany him on his tour of Africa.
The holes were sufficiently large to serve as nests.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun, oft with brd-neg]
If something is a sufficient cause or condition for something to happen, it can happen.
[formal]
Discipline is a necessary, but certainly not a sufficient condition for learningto take place.
sufficient in British English
(səˈfɪʃənt)
adjective
1.
enough to meet a need or purpose; adequate
2. logic
(of a condition) assuring the truth of a statement; requiring but not necessarily required by some other state of affairs
Compare necessary (sense 3e)
3. archaic
competent; capable
noun
4.
a sufficient quantity
Derived forms
sufficiently (sufˈficiently)
adverb
Word origin
C14: from Latin sufficiens supplying the needs of, from sufficere to suffice
sufficient in American English
(səˈfɪʃənt)
adjective
1.
as much as is needed; equal to what is specified or required; enough
2.
competent; well-qualified; able
SYNONYMY NOTE: sufficient, enough agree in describing that which satisfies a requirement exactly and is neither morenor less in amount than is needed [a word to the wise is sufficient, enough food for a week]; adequate suggests the meeting of an acceptable (sometimes barely so) standard of fitness orsuitability [the supporting players were adequate]
OPPOSITES: deficient, inadequate
Derived forms
sufficiently (sufˈficiently)
adverb
Word origin
ME < L sufficiens, prp. of sufficere: see suffice
Examples of 'sufficient' in a sentence
sufficient
But certainly sufficient to close off a cycle lane.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We had sufficient resources and there was no impact on policing elsewhere.
The Sun (2013)
It will not take effect unless a sufficient number of investors vote in favour.
The Sun (2013)
This alone is a sufficient reason for deleting old records of minor offences.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is that they do not produce cars of sufficient quality at a competitive price.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We accepted this reduced payout as it was sufficient for our purposes.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But such economies will not be sufficient to meet this gargantuan challenge.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We did not feel confident we had sufficient resources or ability to grow at that speed.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
One would be to show that sufficient evidence in fact is available.
Salkie, Raphael The Chomsky Update - Linguistics and Politics (1990)
The gardens are sufficient reason for buying the house.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Half an hour a day of this is sufficient to produce measurable benefits.
Chaitow, Leon The Beat Fatigue Workbook - how to identify the causes (1988)
The main challenge is summoning sufficient stamina and resources to last the course.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is let to my company and the rent is sufficient to cover the mortgage and other costs.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The energy from such intense noise fields was found sufficient to cause fatigue damage within a few hours.
Gunston, Bill Plane Speaking - a personal view of aviation history (1991)
The bodyguard now had to find a sufficient number of taxis to enable the guests to go shopping.
Geraghty, Tony The Bullet Catchers (1989)
In the background is renewed anxiety over whether there will be sufficient resources to meet energy requirements in decades ahead.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Wise use of the day off is one of the easiest ways to acquire a quantity of time sufficient for quality moments.
Christianity Today (2000)
Random genetic variations plus Darwinian selection were shown to be sufficient causes of biological evolution.
Dyson, Freeman Infinite in All Directions (1989)
If you do so suddenly enough and in sufficient quantity, the value of the currency collapses.
George Monbiot THE AGE OF CONSENT (2003)
You have to repay the mortgage but hopefully the returns you receive from investing the money will be sufficient to cover the costs.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We know by now that elections are a necessary but certainly not sufficient condition for producing free, stable societies.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
With a 100 million incentive package dangling before them, the new management team certainly have sufficient carrots.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
With this sum they have to provide clothes and (it) is sufficient for this purpose and somethingmore.
Smout, T.C. & Wood, Sydney Scottish Voices 1745-1960 (1990)
In other languages
sufficient
British English: sufficient ADJECTIVE
If something is sufficient for a particular purpose, there is enough of it for the purpose.
This piece of fabric is sufficient to cover the box.
American English: sufficient
Brazilian Portuguese: suficiente
Chinese: 足够的
European Spanish: suficiente
French: suffisant
German: ausreichend
Italian: sufficiente
Japanese: 十分な
Korean: 충분한
European Portuguese: suficiente
Latin American Spanish: suficiente
All related terms of 'sufficient'
self-sufficient
If a country or group is self-sufficient , it is able to produce or make everything that it needs .
sufficient funds
Funds are amounts of money that are available to be spent , especially money that is given to an organization or person for a particular purpose.
sufficient money
Money is the coins or bank notes that you use to buy things, or the sum that you have in a bank account.
sufficient number
You use number with words such as 'large' or 'small' to say approximately how many things or people there are.
sufficient reason
the principle that nothing happens by pure chance , but that an explanation must always be available
sufficient condition
a statement whose truth is sufficient to guarantee the truth of a given statement
sufficient evidence
Evidence is anything that you see, experience, read , or are told that causes you to believe that something is true or has really happened .
NSF
not sufficient funds
Chinese translation of 'sufficient'
sufficient
(səˈfɪʃənt)
adj
足够(夠)的 (zúgòu de)
(frm)[condition, cause]充足的 (chōngzú de)
to be sufficient for sth对(對)某事来(來)说(說)足够(夠)了 (duì mǒushì lái shuō zúgòu le)
to be sufficient to do sth足够(夠)做某事 (zúgòu zuò mǒushì)
sufficient money to do sth/for sth足够(夠)的资(資)金来(來)做某事/付某笔(筆)费(費)用 (zúgòu de zījīn lái zuò mǒushì/fù mǒu bǐ fèiyòng)
(adjective)
Definition
enough to meet a need or purpose
There was not sufficient evidence to secure a conviction.
Synonyms
adequate
an amount adequate to purchase another house
enough
They had enough money for a one-way ticket.
ample
The design gave ample space for a good-sized kitchen.
satisfactory
I never got a satisfactory answer.
enow (archaic)
Opposites
not enough
,
inadequate
,
insufficient
,
short
,
poor
,
scant
,
meagre
,
sparse
,
deficient
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ample
Definition
more than sufficient
The design gave ample space for a good-sized kitchen.