INADEQUATELY Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

inadequately

adverb

as in poorly

in an unsatisfactory way she did the job quickly, but inadequately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of inadequately Around the world, most caregivers are either uncompensated or inadequately compensated, and many rely on public assistance where available to make ends meet. — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The investigation also found that the Prison Rape Elimination Act was inadequately implemented. — Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 Most social media platforms already have a minimum age to register an account, but governments, parents, and child safety advocates argue that these checks are easy to bypass and inadequately enforced. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Without the federal government as a consistent partner, local efforts are inadequately supported. — Monitor Reader, Christian Science Monitor, 28 July 2026 Indian troops were deployed to thwart Chinese advances but were reportedly inadequately supplied, underprepared, and overwhelmed. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026 As medetomidine spreads across the country, jails that are still inadequately prepared to treat opioid withdrawal alone could face an onslaught of severe cases. — Hannah Harris Green, STAT, 26 June 2026 What many patients encounter instead is medical dismissal—a pattern of having symptoms minimized, deprioritized or inadequately investigated. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 12 May 2026 It should be noted that a tree or any other plant, for that matter, does not stand much of a chance in the long term where the soil drains inadequately. — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadequately

Adverb

That assumption aged poorly as AA’s competitor Delta Air Lines made seatback screens based on cheaper, lighter hardware part of its standard experience.

— Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026
Toxicologist Fernández has stayed in touch with his patient and still winces about how Mark feared reporting the crime to the police could reflect poorly on him professionally.

— Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of poorly

Adverb

Even when off-the-shelf software fit badly, most companies still bought it because the alternative was too expensive to justify.

— Andrew Siemer, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Although the country has been badly damaged by war, the regime remains intact, and its regional power has grown.

— MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of badly

Browse Nearby Words

inadequate

inadequately

inadequateness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Inadequately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadequately. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of inadequately

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

expeditious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes