suit

noun \ ˈsüt \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Examples: suit in a Sentence

Definition of suit

1 archaic : suite 1

2 a : recourse or appeal to a feudal superior for justice or redress

b : an action or process in a court for the recovery of a right or claim

3 : an act or instance of suing or seeking by entreaty : appeal; specifically : courtship

4 : a group of things forming a unit : suite —used chiefly of armor, sails, and counters in games

5 : a set of garments: such as

a : an ensemble of two or more usually matching outer garments (such as a jacket, vest, and trousers)

businessmen wearing three-piece suits

b : a costume to be worn for a special purpose or under particular conditions

gym suits

6 a : all the playing cards in a pack bearing the same symbol

b : all the dominoes bearing the same number

c : all the cards or counters in a particular suit held by one player

a 5-card suit

d : the suit led

follow suit

7 slang : a business executive —usually used in plural

—

suited

play \ˈsü-təd\ adjective

See suit defined for English-language learners

See suit defined for kids

Examples of suit in a Sentence

He wore his gray suit to the job interview.
filed a suit against the company that had manufactured the faulty heater, claiming they were responsible for the fire

Recent Examples of suit from the Web

Tim Draper, the Bay Area billionaire and venture capitalist who sponsored Prop. 9, declined to comment on the suit.

— bob egelko, SFChronicle.com, "California’s three-way split: Lawsuit may take matter out of voters’ hands," 12 July 2018
Two lawyers for the Trump Organization did not return phone calls on Monday seeking comment on the suit, which was filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

— alan feuer, New York Times, "Former Driver Sues Trump for More Than 3,000 Hours of Overtime," 9 July 2018
Emily Mir, a spokeswoman for the company, declined to comment on the suit.

— bloomberg, Houston Chronicle, "Halliburton sued by EEOC for allowing harassment of Muslims," 3 July 2018
The government has yet to comment on that suit as well.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Judge Orders Trump Administration to Reunite Migrant Families Within 30 Days," 27 June 2018
Had Disney not agreed to the sale, the Justice Department was prepared to move forward on an antitrust suit to block the sale.

— mike snider, USA TODAY, "DOJ approves Disney-Fox merger with sale of 22 regional sports networks," 27 June 2018
Neither Hagerty nor Evanston City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz would comment on Skokie’s federal suit immediately after it was filed.

— genevieve bookwalter, chicagotribune.com, "After lawsuit, Evanston mayor says Skokie must 'pay its fair share' for Lake Michigan water," 26 June 2018
The White House referred questions on the suit to the Justice Department, which declined to comment.

— eric morath, WSJ, "Union Looks to Block New Trump Administration Rule on Federal Workers," 15 June 2018
The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Taylor’s suit.

— adi robertson, The Verge, "White nationalist Jared Taylor can sue Twitter for banning him, judge rules," 15 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of suit

Middle English sute, seute pursuit, retinue, set, legal action, from Anglo-French siute, suite, from Vulgar Latin *sequita, from feminine of *sequitus, past participle of *sequere to follow — more at sue

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

suit Synonyms

Synonyms

appeal, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, plea, pleading, prayer, solicitation, supplication;

Related Words

application, requisition;

call, claim, demand, insistence;

suit

verb

Definition of suit

suited; suiting; suits

transitive verb

1 a : to be becoming to

that dress suits you

b : to be proper for : befit

a mood that suits the occasion

2 : to outfit with clothes : dress

3 : accommodate, adapt

suit the action to the word

4 : to meet the needs or desires of : please

suits me fine

intransitive verb

1 : to be in accordance : agree

the position suits with your abilities

2 : to be appropriate or satisfactory

these prices don't suit

3 : to put on specially required clothing (such as a uniform or protective garb) —usually used with up

players suiting up for the game

See suit defined for English-language learners

Examples of suit in a Sentence

This kind of behavior hardly suits a person of your age.
She gave a serious speech that suited the occasion.
The formal furniture really suited the style of the house.
The job suits her very well.

Recent Examples of suit from the Web

In recent seasons, the franchise has also added those of Pavel Datsyuk, who left the Detroit Red Wings to play in the KHL, and Chris Pronger, who stopped playing after multiple concussions, though neither ever suited up with the Coyotes.

— michael blinn, SI.com, "Blackhawks Add Cap Space by Trading Marian Hossa's Contract to Coyotes," 12 July 2018
The next two games served as a chance for fans to watch James suit up a couple more times in his Cleveland uniform.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "Golden State Warriors just copying the path of past NBA champs," 5 July 2018
Davis faces up to seven years in prison for a felony assault charge and more prison time on drug charges, but that hasn’t kept him from suiting up for the BIG3 League.

— josh peter, USA TODAY, "Glen Davis continues to play in BIG3 despite assault and drug charges," 26 June 2018
May also played college football in the Mountain State, suiting up at Concord University.

— david furones, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Stoneman Douglas football coach Willis May reassigned," 22 June 2018
To this city, that news is only slightly less rattling than hearing Davy Crockett dreamed of suiting up for Santa Anna.

— mike finger, San Antonio Express-News, "As Kawhi looks elsewhere, a bubble bursts," 16 June 2018
So while Helen suits up to pursue the elusive Screenslaver, her family must learn to get along without her for a while.

— todd mccarthy, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Incredibles 2': Film Review," 11 June 2018
With David's fall heavy on the mind, Becca and 10 of her suitors got, well, suited up hoping to score big during the episode's second group date.

— mallorie sullivan, Cincinnati.com, "'The Bachelorette': NFL free agent Clay Harbor somehow hurts himself playing football," 11 June 2018
The third team: With only four running backs suited up, Wendell Smallwood, Corey Clement, and Matt Jones took snaps.

— jeff mclane, Philly.com, "Eagles practice observations: Jason Peters inches along; Sidney Jones sidelined; Fletcher Cox and Nigel Bradham absent," 6 June 2018

First Known Use of suit

14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

suit Synonyms

SUIT Defined for English Language Learners

suit

noun

Definition of suit for English Language Learners

: a set of clothes that usually consists of a jacket and a skirt or pair of pants that are made out of the same material
: a set of clothes or protective covering that is worn for a special purpose or under particular conditions
: a process by which a court of law makes a decision to settle a disagreement or problem between people or organizations

suit

verb

Definition of suit for English Language Learners

: to provide what is required or wanted by or for (someone or something)
: to be proper or suitable for (someone or something)
: to be attractive on (someone)

SUIT Defined for Kids

suit

noun \ ˈsüt \

Definition of suit for Students

1 : a set of clothing having matching top and bottom pieces

2 : a set of clothes or protective coverings worn for a special purpose or under particular conditions

a gym suit

a suit of armor

3 : an action in court to settle a disagreement or enforce a right or claim

4 : all the playing cards of one kind (as spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs) in a pack

suit

verb

Definition of suit for Students

suited; suiting

1 : to be suitable or satisfactory

The time of the meeting suits my schedule.

2 : to make suitable : adapt

You should suit your speech for your audience.

3 : to be proper for or pleasing with

That scarf does not suit the dress.

4 : to meet the needs or desires of

… it was fully settled that James should go … as it suited his master …
—Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

Medical Dictionary

suit

medical Definition of suit

— see g suit, pressure suit

Law Dictionary

suit

noun

legal Definition of suit

: a proceeding to enforce a right or claim; specifically : an action brought in a court seeking a remedy for injuries suffered or a determination of rights : lawsuit

Origin and Etymology of suit

Anglo-French siute suite suit request to initiate legal proceedings, literally, pursuit, from siute, feminine past participle of suire to follow, from Old French sivre — see sue