Meaning & use
inadequacy
Last updated
The state of not being enough or not good enough for a particular purpose; a feeling of not being capable.
See it in a sentence
The report highlighted the inadequacy of the current safety measures.
He struggled with feelings of inadequacy after being passed over for the promotion.
A note on using this word
Can describe either an external shortfall (resources, measures) or an internal emotional state (self-doubt); context clarifies which is meant.
Words with a similar meaning
insufficiencydeficiency
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
adequacysufficiency
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