Ungenügender

Ungenügender is a German term that functions primarily as an adjective meaning insufficient or inadequate. The base adjective ungenügend is used to describe something that does not meet required standards. The form ungenügender can appear in attributive position before a masculine singular noun (for example, ein ungenügender Mann), and it may also occur in other gender and case forms as part of full inflection. In addition, the word can be nominalized in everyday language as der Ungenügende or die Ungenügende, used to refer to a person who is inadequate or who fails to meet expectations. This nominalized use is pejorative and more common in informal or critical contexts than in formal writing.

In educational and evaluative contexts, ungenügend is used to indicate failure or poor performance. A performance or result described as ungenügend is insufficient to meet the required standards, and in grading the term corresponds to a failing mark. Phrases such as eine ungenügende Leistung or eine ungenügende Note are typical. The expression is often contrasted with genügend (sufficient) and better, such as ausreichend or gut/ sehr gut, depending on the specific grading system.

Usage notes and nuance: while ungenügend conveys clear inadequacy, it carries a negative or judgmental tone. In formal or bureaucratic language, more neutral terms like mangelhaft or unzureichend are sometimes preferred. The noun form Ungenügender is uncommon outside rhetorical or critical contexts, but it can appear in discussions about standards, accountability, or performance.

See also: mangelhaft, unzulänglich, unzureichend, genügen.