suffice

American  

[suh-fahys, -fahyz] / səˈfaɪs, -ˈfaɪz /

verb (used without object)

• suffices,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sufficed,
  past participle,  past
• sufficing
  present participle

1. to be enough or adequate, as for needs, purposes, etc.

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verb (used with object)

• suffices,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sufficed,
  past participle,  past
• sufficing
  present participle

1. to be enough or adequate for; satisfy.

suffice British  

/ səˈfaɪs /

verb

1. to be adequate or satisfactory for (something)

2. (takes a clause as object) let us say no more than that; I shall just say that

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Usage

What does suffice mean? To suffice is to be just enough, or adequate, as in I can fold the laundry later, so taking the clothes out of the dryer will suffice. When something suffices, it might not meet all your needs, but it will meet at least a minimum of them. For example, you might feel somewhat rested when you get seven hours of sleep but really well rested when you get nine hours. Nine hours of sleep might be most desirable, but seven hours suffices. Example: It could be better, but I suppose this will suffice.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sufficer
  noun
• unsufficing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• sufficing
  present
• sufficed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• suffice
  simple
• suffices
  simple
• have sufficed
  perfect
• has sufficed
  perfect
• am sufficing
  progressive
• are sufficing
  progressive
• is sufficing
  progressive
• have been sufficing
  perfect progressive
• has been sufficing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sufficed
  simple
• had sufficed
  perfect
• was sufficing
  progressive
• were sufficing
  progressive
• had been sufficing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will suffice
  simple
• will have sufficed
  perfect
• will be sufficing
  progressive
• will have been sufficing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of suffice

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English sufficen, from Latin sufficere “to put under, supply, be capable,” from suf- suf- + -ficere, combining form of facere “to do, make” ( see also do ¹); replacing Middle English suffisen, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Explanation

To suffice is to be enough, in either quality or quantity. It may not be gourmet all the time, but if your food is healthy, it will suffice. The word suffice comes from a combination of the Latin words sub ("under") and facere ("make") that together mean "meet the need of." This need is usually the bare minimum — no leftovers, nothing fancy. The common phrase "Suffice it to say" means "I'll just say" or "All that needs to be said is...."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

suffice suffices sufficed sufficing

The assistant coaching job will have to suffice.

From Salon ● Sep. 10, 2026

That might be a little heavy-handed when a simple talking-to, or a vote-whipping operation that’s more on top of things, could suffice.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

Meaning any excuse for why the Trojans aren’t breaking through will no longer suffice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

It tells customers: "What you see is what you pay. We do not accept tips, your kind words and return visits will suffice."

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

For Madame LePoint, however, mere measurements would not suffice.

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood

The percentage of Yuka users who pay for premium is tiny but that suffices because the total number of users is so enormous, she adds.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

But military experts say that domestic production now suffices to ensure the front line wouldn’t imminently collapse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025

I could go on, but it suffices to say that “The Osbournes” sits near the root system of celebreality’s Tree of Life, for richer or poorer.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2025

There exist too many of these moments to catalog, but perhaps one example suffices to illustrate the enormous power Walters wielded.

From Slate ● Dec. 31, 2022

It suffices to know that they appear time and time again across the centuries.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Count us among those who think the red card was excessive; a yellow card would have sufficed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Instead, it sufficed that they possess an "inner beard," the strength and insight that grows within a man and is represented, but not necessarily embodied, by the beard that grows on his surface.

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2024

This simple conversion also sufficed to activate thousands of genes associated with an inflammatory gene program that allows neutrophils to combat invading bacteria.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 14, 2024

"A tin of paint and a tin of WD40 would have sufficed - now they're saying it costs too much for upkeep."

From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2024

As it was, more often than not one meal sufficed for two.

From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya

It was the more plentiful elements that were usually found first, relatively simple experiments sufficing to confirm their existence.

From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2021

That is what the grant of Article 3 life tenure offers a man: the ability to do precisely what he decides to do, with no amount of political pressure sufficing to change that.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2021

Tied up in the respect and ubiquity afforded to these men is the mononym, or a single word sufficing for a person’s whole name.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2020

Their literary wars are more like the battles of boys in the woods, waged wholly in imaginary terms, with cries of “I got you!” sufficing to declare victory.

From Slate ● May 28, 2015

The little food that was found at Talladega was distributed among the men, sufficing to satisfy their immediate needs.

From Red Eagle and the Wars With the Creek Indians of Alabama. by George Cary Eggleston

Related Words

• get by
• satisfy