enough

The word “enough” means as much or as many as needed; a sufficient amount. In plain terms, as much as you need — no more, no less.

“Enough” is pronounced ih-NUHF (/ɪˈnʌf/ in IPA).

Here is “enough” used in a sentence: “There's enough food for everyone at the party.”

Depending on how it is used, “enough” can be a determiner, an adverb, an interjection and a noun.

The word “enough” comes from Old English. From Old English genōg, meaning "sufficient," tracing back to a very old Germanic root shared with Dutch genoeg and German genug.

“Enough” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Enough” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: as much or as many as needed; a sufficient amount.

They carry the same meaning — as much or as many as needed — but differ in tone. 'Enough' is the plain, everyday word, as in 'enough food.' 'Sufficient' is more formal and common in writing or official language, as in 'sufficient evidence.' In casual speech, 'enough' almost always sounds more natural.

'Enough' is the right amount — exactly what is needed. 'Too much' goes beyond that point, an excess that can cause its own problems, while 'not enough' falls short. Think of a simple scale: too little at one end, enough as the ideal middle, and too much at the far end.

'Enough' comes before a noun, as in 'enough time,' but after an adjective or adverb, as in 'good enough' or 'fast enough.' As a pronoun it can also stand alone: 'that's enough.' This shifting position — before nouns yet after adjectives — is a frequent point of confusion for learners.

It is neutral to mildly positive, since it signals that a need has been met. But tone matters: 'enough' can also express impatience or a limit reached, as in 'Enough!' or 'I've had enough.' Context decides whether it means quiet satisfaction or a firm demand to stop.