inadequacy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said in those early years he was often overcompensating for his own feelings of inadequacy as the son of a single mom who struggled to pay the rent.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026

The nine-page text addresses the main flashpoints in Belem: trade measures, demands for greater finance for poorer nations, and the inadequacy of national carbon-cutting pledges.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

He sensed there was something abnormal about his sensitivity to criticism, the inadequacy of his emotional reaction to others, and his ever-present discontent about jobs and social status.

From Slate • Jul. 23, 2025

This endless comparison breeds financial anxiety and a sense of inadequacy, even among those who are actually doing well financially.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2025

For Galton, the inadequacy may have felt particularly galling because he too had been meant to become a giant.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee