Enough vs. sufficient: what’s the difference?
The short answer
The word enough is more informal and can function as an adverb, pronoun, or adjective, while sufficient is typically used as an adjective and is more formal. Enough is often used in everyday speech, whereas sufficient is more common in formal writing.
What they have in common
Both enough and sufficient refer to an adequate amount or degree of something, indicating that a particular need or requirement is met.
Examples
enough
- She didn’t have enough time to finish the project.
- Is there enough food for everyone?
- He ran fast enough to win the race.
sufficient
- The evidence provided was not sufficient to convict him.
- We have sufficient funds to complete the construction.
- The explanation is sufficient for understanding the basics.
Which one is more common?
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