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suitable

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adjective

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective suitable differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suitable are appropriate, apt, felicitous, fitting, fit, happy, meet, and proper. While all these words mean "right with respect to some end, need, use, or circumstance," suitable implies an answering to requirements or demands.

clothes suitable for camping

In what contexts can appropriate take the place of suitable?

The meanings of appropriate and suitable largely overlap; however, appropriate implies eminent or distinctive fitness.

an appropriate gift

Where would apt be a reasonable alternative to suitable?

The synonyms apt and suitable are sometimes interchangeable, but apt connotes a fitness marked by nicety and discrimination.

apt quotations

When could felicitous be used to replace suitable?

In some situations, the words felicitous and suitable are roughly equivalent. However, felicitous suggests an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful.

a felicitous phrase

When is fit a more appropriate choice than suitable?

While in some cases nearly identical to suitable, fit stresses adaptability and sometimes special readiness for use or action.

fit for battle

When would fitting be a good substitute for suitable?

While the synonyms fitting and suitable are close in meaning, fitting implies harmony of mood or tone.

a fitting end

When might happy be a better fit than suitable?

The words happy and suitable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, happy suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate.

a happy choice of words

When is it sensible to use meet instead of suitable?

The words meet and suitable can be used in similar contexts, but meet suggests a just proportioning.

meet payment

When can proper be used instead of suitable?

Although the words proper and suitable have much in common, proper suggests a suitability through essential nature or accordance with custom.

proper acknowledgement

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of suitability
Adjective
Munden said any dog breed is suitable for apartments. Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025 This set of two is suitable for a range of vehicles, including cars, SUVs, and trucks. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2025 These drain cleaners are not as heavy-duty as Drano but are suitable for slow-running drains and light clogs. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Feb. 2025 Designed to feel flexible, stable, and cushy, the Free Metcon 6 is suitable for lifting and cardio, with a grippy, bendable sole that matches your foot’s form. Sara Coughlin, SELF, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suitability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suitability
Adjective
  • Most are highly qualified, with years of experience.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 17 Feb. 2025
  • The same rate of 21 cents per mile applies for specific moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces.
    Susan Tompor, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • That's where the person at the top has to give appropriate direction, and that has not come from the president of the United States at this point.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Plus, even if experts with appropriate training and expertise are appointed to the MAHA Commision, Kennedy’s still the one in charge.
    Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Arquette's performance is more simple but just as effective, giving hope and soul to a divorced single mom trying to do her best for her kids but with a tendency to bring home the wrong guys.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
  • While The Penguin, a spinoff of Reeves’ Batman that continues to steal award after award (on Sunday, star Colin Farrell won the SAG Award for best actor in a limited series), there seems to be no plan for a follow-up.
    Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • She’s gotten ready to meet him and stands in front of the mirror, looking both confident and awesome in heels and a nicely fitting red mini dress, her makeup subtle and becoming.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Nieves said the casting is fitting since Guana was a friend of Plenty Clouds'.
    Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Authenticity and relevance should be at the core of your strategy to ensure a seamless brand integration.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
  • With annual rollouts and minimal year-to-year change, the average title seldom maintains cultural relevance past the year it was published.
    Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This is because the front two slots are now capable of USB 3.2 plus DisplayPort, while the rear two support USB4. Framework is also introducing a new second-generation keyboard, which thankfully retains the satisfying 1.5mm key travel.
    Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Throughout his career, he’s proven to be a precocious songwriter, capable of stringing together hit records in a flash.
    Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • President Donald Trump, in his interview with Fox News, sees states like Iowa, Indiana and New Hampshire, among others, taking the proper approaches in education.
    Kristina Watrobski, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Owens says this is essential to a child's proper development.
    Leslie D. Rose, Parents, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • However, Ador has filed two injunctions in South Korean courts, one in December to confirm the validity of the group’s contracts and another in January to stop the group from independently signing advertisement contracts, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2025
  • Dominick’s Cicero Voters Alliance, however, questioned the validity of Rodriguez’s account in a statement.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suitability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suitability. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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