Enough (determiner / adverb) — as much or as many as necessary; to the degree required or satisfactory. As a determiner it precedes a noun: enough time. As an adverb it follows an adjective or adverb: good enough.
What Does Enough Mean?
Enough descends from Old English genōg, meaning "sufficient" or "adequate", related to Old High German ginuog and Gothic ganohs. The prefix ge- in Old English conveyed completeness or intensity, so the original sense was "fully adequate". By Middle English the form had become ynough, and the initial consonant cluster gradually disappeared in most dialects, leaving the modern spelling with its now-silent gh.
In modern British English, enough is one of the most versatile function words in the language, operating as a determiner, adverb, and pronoun. Its position in the sentence changes depending on the role it plays: before a noun as a determiner (enough seats), after an adjective or adverb as a modifier (warm enough, fast enough), or alone as a pronoun (That's quite enough).
The word often pairs with a to-infinitive to express a condition or purpose: She was brave enough to speak up. This construction — adjective + enough + to-infinitive — is one of the most important patterns for intermediate learners to master, as it contrasts directly with the too + adjective + to-infinitive structure (too shy to speak).
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level | Usage note |
|---|---|---|
| Do we have enough chairs for everyone? | A2 | enough as determiner before noun |
| Is the soup warm enough for you? | A2 | enough as adverb after adjective |
| She ran quickly enough to catch the bus. | B1 | enough after adverb + to-infinitive |
| He didn't have enough confidence to ask for a pay rise. | B2 | determiner + noun + to-infinitive |
| Interestingly enough, the study found no significant correlation between the two variables. | C1 | adverbial phrase expressing mild surprise |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| enough time | We don't have enough time to review every application. |
| enough money | Have you saved enough money for the deposit? |
| enough space | There isn't enough space in the boot for all the luggage. |
| good enough | Your first draft is good enough to submit. |
| old enough | He isn't old enough to vote yet. |
| fair enough | "I need more time." — "Fair enough, take the weekend." |
| sure enough | I suspected he'd be late, and sure enough, he arrived at noon. |
| strangely enough | Strangely enough, the loudest student turned out to be the shyest. |
| enough of | I've had quite enough of this argument. |
| enough to go round | Don't worry — there's plenty, enough to go round. |
Usage Notes
- Position matters. As a determiner, enough always precedes the noun it modifies (enough evidence). As an adverb, it always follows the adjective or adverb it modifies (clear enough, slowly enough) — never before it.
- Enough of + determiner. When a determiner (the, this, my, his, etc.) appears between enough and the noun, you must insert of: enough of the students passed, enough of my time. Without a determiner, omit of: enough students, enough time.
- Enough vs too. Too signals an excess that prevents an action (too heavy to lift). Enough signals that a minimum threshold is met, enabling an action (strong enough to lift). Both patterns use a to-infinitive but carry opposite meanings.
- Emphatic phrases. Fixed adverbial phrases such as sure enough, strangely enough, funnily enough, and oddly enough introduce a fact that confirms or surprises. They are common in spoken and journalistic English and always begin the clause they modify.
- Fair enough is an informal spoken idiom used to acknowledge that something is reasonable or acceptable. It is not interchangeable with enough in its other uses.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
She is enough tall to reach the shelf.
She is tall enough to reach the shelf. (adverb enough follows the adjective)
We have enough of money to travel.
We have enough money to travel. (no of without a preceding determiner)
I've had enough of problems with this software.
I've had enough problems with this software. (no of when there is no determiner before the noun)
He is too confident enough to succeed.
He is confident enough to succeed. (do not combine too and enough — they express opposite ideas)