Insufficiently

Insufficiently is an adverb that means to a degree that is not sufficient or adequate to meet a need, standard, or expectation. It is used to indicate that something falls short of what is required, whether in amount, quality, or rigor, and it can modify adjectives, verbs, or entire clauses.

Etymology and form: Insufficiently is formed from the adjective insufficient plus the adverbial suffix -ly. The adjective itself derives from the Latin word sufficient-, with prefixes and historical development passing through Old French into English. The resulting adverb is common in formal, technical, and analytical writing.

Usage: Insufficiently is typically employed in contexts where an assessment of adequacy is necessary, such as funding, evidence, preparation, data quality, or testing. Examples include: The proposal was insufficiently funded to proceed; the evidence was insufficiently robust to support the claim; the team was insufficiently prepared for the complex protocol. In many cases, writers choose this word to emphasize that the level of adequacy is noticeably lacking and potentially problematic.

Related terms: The word is closely related to sufficient and insufficient, and its antonyms include sufficiently and adequately. It is frequently contrasted with adequately funded, adequately evidenced, or sufficiently tested in evaluative writing. In some contexts, more common or direct phrasing might substitute phrases like “not enough,” “lacks adequate,” or “inadequate.”

See also: sufficient, insufficient, adequately, inadequately, sufficiently powered, underpowered, hedging.