unsuitable

adjective

un·​suit·​able ˌən-ˈsü-tə-bəl 

: not fitting or right for a use or purpose : not suitable

an unsuitable choice

unsuitable topics for conversation

unsuitability

ˌən-ˌsü-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

unsuitability for the job

unsuitably

ˌən-ˈsü-tə-blē 

adverb

unsuitably dressed

Synonyms

• amiss
• graceless
• improper
• inapposite
• inappropriate
• inapt
• incongruous
• incorrect
• indecorous
• inept
• infelicitous
• malapropos
• perverse
• unapt
• unbecoming
• unfit
• unhappy
• unseemly
• untoward
• wrong

Examples of unsuitable in a Sentence

all the movies playing now are violent or otherwise unsuitable for a child's birthday party

Recent Examples on the Web

The following year, regulators ruled that the company is unsuitable to operate its casinos in Sydney and Queensland, placing them under government supervision. —Yessar Rosendar, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

That's because Blue Origin aims to recover the first stage of the New Glenn rocket, and sea states in the Atlantic Ocean have been unsuitable for an initial attempt to catch the first stage booster on a drone ship. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 11 Jan. 2025

This mismatch results in recruiters spending excessive time reviewing unsuitable applications, with 22% dedicating three to five hours daily to this task. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Uncovering a Forgotten History The discovery was initiated by a 1930s agricultural report referencing untended land filled with graves and trees—an area unsuitable for cultivation. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

unsuitable

adjective

un·​suit·​able

ˌən-ˈsüt-ə-bəl,

ˈən-

: not suitable or fitting : unbecoming, inappropriate

unsuitably

-blē

adverb