suffice
gb/səfˈaɪs/ us/səfˈaɪs/
B2
English
~ 6000
elegendő, elég
VERB
B2
FORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
to suffice (for [something]) / (to do [something])
If you can't come in person, an email will suffice.
Ha nem tud személyesen eljönni, egy e-mail is elegendő.
Two days should suffice to finish the report.
Két napnak elegendőnek kell lennie a jelentés befejezéséhez.
A light jacket will suffice on such a warm evening.
For now, this rough sketch will suffice for our discussion.
A brief phone call would suffice instead of a long meeting.
Learner examples
One example will suffice for this lesson.
Ehhez a leckéhez egy példa is elegendő lesz.
This small meal will suffice until dinner.
Ez a kevés étel elég lesz vacsoráig.
Two hours should suffice to clean the house.
A short message will suffice to tell her the news.
Your answer does not suffice for the teacher.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "suffice" like an adjective and say *"it is suffice"* instead of "it is sufficient" or "it will suffice". Remember: "suffice" is a verb, while "sufficient" is an adjective. Another common mistake is adding "of", as in *"it suffices of"*; the correct pattern is "suffice for [something]" or "suffice to do [something]".
Meaning
to be enough or adequate
Collocations
will suffice
|should suffice
|suffice for
|suffice to say
|suffice to do
|this will suffice
Synonyms
be enough (More common and neutral in everyday speech; less formal than "suffice".)
|
be sufficient (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal than "be enough" and similar in tone to "suffice".)
Antonyms
be insufficient (Direct opposite, meaning not enough to meet a need or purpose.)
|
fall short (Shows that something does not reach the needed level or amount.)
Themes
quantity
|daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To be enough for what is needed.
To be enough or adequate to meet a need, requirement, or purpose.
Grammar
Dictionary form
suffice
IPA
GB/səfˈaɪs/
US/səfˈaɪs/
Syllables & stress
suf - fice (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (fice)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: suffice
- 3rd Person Singular: suffices
- Present Participle: sufficing
- Past: sufficed
Word family
Forms
suffices
verb
sufficing
verb
sufficed
verb
Core family
sufficient
adjective B1
sufficiently
adverb B2
Related words
sufficiency
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
suffice it to say (that)
1/səfˈaɪs ˈɪt tə sˈeɪ ðˈæt/
fixed phrase
formal
say only what is needed
Used before a short comment to show that you are not giving all the details, but what you say is enough for now.
Examples
- Suffice it to say that the meeting did not go as planned.
- Suffice it to say, we won't be working with that company again.
- Suffice it to say that everyone was very surprised by the news.