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# insufficient

adjective (formal)

«insufficient» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Insufficient means not enough; less than what is needed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#m1)
2. (formal) Used about evidence, money, time or effort that does not meet a need. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#m2)

### In the lessons

Used in formal writing, exams and messages: «insufficient funds», «insufficient evidence», «insufficient time». It tells the reader something is short of what is needed.

### Examples

- There was insufficient water for all the plants. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x1)
- The bank said there were insufficient funds. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x2)
- The police had insufficient evidence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x3)
- The answer gave insufficient detail. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x4)
- Insufficient sleep can make you tired and grumpy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x5)
- There were insufficient chairs for everyone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x6)
- The vessel, you must understand, was so long, and broad, and ponderous, that the united force of all the fifty was insufficient to shove her into the water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/#x7)

### Note

Formal; everyday talk says «not enough». Opposite: sufficient. «An insufficient» (vowel sound). In maths, «insufficient» means the amount is less than needed: if 30 chairs are needed and 24 are there, they are 6 short.

## In Jewish tradition

Used in formal writing, exams and messages: «insufficient funds», «insufficient evidence», «insufficient time». It tells the reader something is short of what is needed.

### Examples

- The explanatory notes given by this author are, nevertheless, insufficient and sometimes very incorrect. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/insufficient/#x1)

### Note

Formal; everyday talk says «not enough». Opposite: sufficient. «An insufficient» (vowel sound). In maths, «insufficient» means the amount is less than needed: if 30 chairs are needed and 24 are there, they are 6 short.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «insufficient» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insufficient/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«insufficient» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/insufficient.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «insufficient» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/I/insufficient/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«insufficient» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/insufficient.html) on Mova free.