Definition of fittingnext

fitting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fit
1
as in befitting
archaic to be fitting or proper we hardly know them, so for Christmas a simple card will fit

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4
5
as in accommodating
to make or have room for we can fit you in the booth if the rest of us squeeze closer together

Synonyms & Similar Words

6

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fitting differ from other similar words?

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

a fitting end

When would appropriate be a good substitute for fitting?

While the synonyms appropriate and fitting are close in meaning, appropriate implies eminent or distinctive fitness.

an appropriate gift

When is it sensible to use apt instead of fitting?

In some situations, the words apt and fitting are roughly equivalent. However, apt connotes a fitness marked by nicety and discrimination.

apt quotations

When might felicitous be a better fit than fitting?

The words felicitous and fitting are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, felicitous suggests an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful.

a felicitous phrase

When could fit be used to replace fitting?

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

fit for battle

Where would happy be a reasonable alternative to fitting?

The meanings of happy and fitting largely overlap; however, happy suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate.

a happy choice of words

In what contexts can meet take the place of fitting?

The synonyms meet and fitting are sometimes interchangeable, but meet suggests a just proportioning.

meet payment

When is proper a more appropriate choice than fitting?

The words proper and fitting can be used in similar contexts, but proper suggests a suitability through essential nature or accordance with custom.

proper acknowledgement

When can suitable be used instead of fitting?

Although the words suitable and fitting have much in common, suitable implies an answering to requirements or demands.

clothes suitable for camping

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 fitting
Adjective
Maybe that is a fitting response, after all, to the things that haunt us. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 Egypt provides a fitting finale to a voyage around the world. — Guy Bigiaoui, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
The tailor had had his work cut out fitting the soft woollen battle-dress blouse to Dovner’s unathletic and paunchy frame. — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026 Lume That said, fitting a toilet room inside one's smallest, most affordable floor plan is a win in itself, particularly for buyers looking to stray from organized campgrounds with central bathrooms. — New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fitting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitting
Adjective
  • The program aims to keep used textiles out of general waste and mixed recycling bins, preserve clothing for reuse and improve the supply of material suitable for fiber-to-fiber recycling.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Secondhand platforms helped the team pinpoint suitable dupes for décor and furniture.
    — Mekita Rivas, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Set the scene As befitting the city’s showpiece, the Empress occupies what’s arguably the best spot in Victoria, overlooking the Inner Harbor and kitty-corner to the British Columbia Parliament Buildings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The first half had the intensity befitting two of the best teams in the league from 2023 to 2025, when the rivals played many heated matches.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Gone are the four nations, corresponding to the elements, who coexisted in harmony that was disrupted and then, episode by episode, restored.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The team broke down Mario’s possible path through a level into individual sections, each corresponding to a calculation instruction of the counting machine.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Mistakes happen in football, especially when a team’s adjusting to a new coaching staff, new technique, hasn’t carved out an identity yet, and is working toward creating culture.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Fox News offers stability this election season, while many of its rivals are adjusting to corporate maneuvers.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • All those killed or missing this week were Nepali nationals preparing for foreign clients to arrive for the Autumn climbing season that began this month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Another worker was seen preparing food without a proper hair restraint, though this was corrected.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Service in the restaurants is top notch with knowledgeable and accommodating staff.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The Gulf is entering a costly new era of accommodating Iran, regardless of whether Tehran and Washington break their stalemate.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • But appropriate counseling depends on the precise diagnosis, gestational age, associated abnormalities, prognosis and maternal circumstances.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Schools must balance their responsibility to decide what material is appropriate for younger students with students’ First Amendment rights to receive information and ideas.
    — Susan Farrell, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Skirt suiting complemented the mother-daughter pair, acting as silhouette and style coords rather than traditional pattern pairing.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Married life seems to be suiting Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce just fine.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitting. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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