sufficiency
noun
suf·fi·cien·cy
sə-ˈfi-shən(t)-sē 
plural sufficiencies
1
: sufficient means to meet one's needs : competency
also
: a modest but adequate scale of living
2
: the quality or state of being sufficient : adequacy
Examples of sufficiency in a Sentence
the sufficiency of the portions is such that you will leave the restaurant with a full stomach but without doggie bags
Recent Examples on the Web
Here, the Kremlin is likely to adopt an approach that corresponds with the Soviet principle of reasonable sufficiency.
—
Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2015
And as climate change supercharges hurricanes, which are fueled by warm water and air, the sufficiency of the system's five categories is increasingly coming into question.
—Alec Luhn, WIRED, 9 Oct. 2024
The company, sanctioned by the U.S., is positioning itself at the forefront of China’s drive for self sufficiency.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2024
But saying a high replacement rate of a very low income (which is what incomes are right before retirement typically) is surely a poor way to judge sufficiency.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sufficiency 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2015
And as climate change supercharges hurricanes, which are fueled by warm water and air, the sufficiency of the system's five categories is increasingly coming into question.
—Alec Luhn, WIRED, 9 Oct. 2024
The company, sanctioned by the U.S., is positioning itself at the forefront of China’s drive for self sufficiency.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2024
But saying a high replacement rate of a very low income (which is what incomes are right before retirement typically) is surely a poor way to judge sufficiency.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sufficiency
Dictionary Entries Near sufficiency
Cite this Entry
“Sufficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sufficiency. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sufficiency
noun
suf·fi·cien·cy
sə-ˈfish-ən-sē
plural sufficiencies
1
: sufficient means to meet one's needs
2
: the quality or state of being sufficient : adequacy
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share