What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Adequate vs Effective - What's the difference?

adequate | effective |

As adjectives the difference between adequate and effective

is that adequate is equal to some requirement; proportionate, or correspondent; fully sufficient; as, powers adequate to a great work; an adequate definition lawfully and physically sufficient while effective is having the power to produce a required effect or effects.

As a verb adequate

is to equalize; to make adequate.

As a noun effective is

a soldier fit for duty.

adequate

English

Alternative forms

* (archaic)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Equal to some requirement; proportionate, or correspondent; fully sufficient; as, powers adequate to a great work; an adequate definition lawfully and physically sufficient.
  • * De Quincey
    • Ireland had no adequate champion.
  • * Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Empty House
    • All day, as I drove upon my round, I turned over the case in my mind and found no explanation which appeared to me to be adequate .

    Antonyms

    * inadequate

    Verb

    (adequat)
  • (obsolete) To equalize; to make adequate.
    • (Fotherby)
  • (obsolete) To equal.
    • It [is] an impossibility for any creature to adequate God in his eternity. — Shelford.

    effective

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having the power to produce a required effect or effects.
    • The pill is an effective method of birth control.
  • Producing a decided or decisive effect.
    • The president delivered an effective speech!
  • * Jeremy Taylor
    • Whosoever is an effective , real cause of doing his neighbour wrong, is criminal.
  • Efficient, serviceable, or operative, available for useful work.
    • How long does it take to make a bunch of civilians an effective military force?
    My effective income after taxes and child support is $500 a month.
    The effective radiated power is determined by multiplying the transmitter power output with the antenna gain.
    The effective voltage of an alternating current is 0.7 times its peak voltage.
  • Actually in effect.
    • The curfew is effective at midnight.
  • Having no negative coefficients.

    • Related terms

    * effect * effectivity * effectual * efficacious * efficacity * efficacy * efficiency * efficient

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (military) A soldier fit for duty.
  • *1876 , , Recollections of the Elkhorn Campaign :
  • *:The Army of the West reached Corinth sometime after the battle of Shiloh. We were 15,000 effectives , and brought Beauregard's effective force up to 45,000 men.
    • ----