Synonyms of suitable

suitable

adjective

ˈsü-tə-bəl 

1

as in qualified

having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance

with only one suitable candidate it's not difficult to decide for whom to vote

Synonyms & Similar Words

• qualified
• good
• capable
• competent
• fit
• able
• equal
• expert
• ready
• prepared
• experienced
• skilled
• skillful
• proficient
• adept
• on the ball
• willing
• accomplished
• practised
• versatile
• seasoned
• masterly
• master
• practiced
• apt
• veteran
• masterful
• ace
• trained
• all-round
• overqualified
• protean
• schooled
• all-around

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• poor
• unfit
• incompetent
• unqualified
• inept
• inexperienced
• unskilled
• unfitted
• new
• unprepared
• green
• beginning
• untrained
• raw
• inexpert
• unseasoned
• untested
• untried
• unskillful
• unschooled

2

as in appropriate

meeting the requirements of a purpose or situation

I don't have anything suitable to wear to a bar mitzvah

Synonyms & Similar Words

• appropriate
• fitting
• proper
• fitted
• fit
• good
• applicable
• happy
• adequate
• acceptable
• meet
• right
• pretty
• apt
• in order
• needed
• becoming
• felicitous
• balanced
• required
• befitting
• satisfactory
• capable
• deserved
• able
• decent
• justified
• requisite
• competent
• qualified
• correct
• decorous
• serviceable
• just
• trained
• respectable
• tolerable
• rightful
• condign
• kosher
• harmonious
• cut out
• consonant
• seemly
• pitch-perfect
• congruous
• companionate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unsuitable
• improper
• inappropriate
• wrong
• unfit
• inapplicable
• unhappy
• incongruous
• incapable
• unfitting
• indecent
• unseemly
• inadequate
• unbecoming
• incompetent
• inapt
• unsatisfactory
• unskilled
• unacceptable
• unqualified
• inapposite
• untrained
• infelicitous
• intolerable
• unapt
• inept
• unmeet
• inexpert
• unskillful
• unbeseeming
• incorrect
• incompatible
• misbecoming
• malapropos
• indecorous
• uncongenial
• graceless

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

Recent Examples of suitable

Golden laughed when asked about Martin’s chatter, and the read-between-the-lines answer was clear: Not much of what Martin says is suitable for print (or work). —Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

Influencers' endorsements often prioritize trends, social engagement and popularity over scientific evidence ... and blanket statements that may not be suitable for everyone. —Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025

Securities, investment products, other financial products or strategies discussed herein may not be suitable for all investors. —Katie Stockton, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025

Volunteers will be on hand to ensure that the waste is suitable for composting and to provide guidance on composting practices. —Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025