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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
Noun
But for a few high-profile flashpoints, however, debate about the Americans’ suitability has largely remained restricted to the internet rather than the match-going fans. Simon Hughes, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025 Voir dire is the process through which potential jurors are questioned by either a judge or a lawyer to determine their suitability to serve on a jury, according to the Cornell Law School's online Legal Information Institute. Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Fortunately, Quince offers dozens of denim jean options in lengths and styles suitable for shoppers of a wide range of heights. Jacqueline Tempera, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2025 Soy sauce is suitable for people with coconut allergies. Merve Ceylan, Health, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suitability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suitability
Noun
  • Property owners must apply for a special permit, called a certificate of appropriateness, to demolish a building on the local historic register.
    Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
  • There’s considerable dispute, even among some Democrats, about the appropriateness of suspending the work of California’s independent citizen redistricting commission for a few election cycles.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Formerly known as North County Health Services, the federally qualified health center has 22 locations in the region.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Nix, on the flip side, currently has the worst rating in the league on intermediate throws among 31 qualified NFL quarterbacks.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For indoor storage, guns should be kept unloaded and locked in appropriate safes or lockboxes for handguns, with ammunition in a separate safe, the AAP recommends.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Harsh chemicals like bleach will damage or harden rubber, so choose the appropriate cleaner based on the material your seal is made from.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This high-temperature requirement has severely restricted the tech’s applicability, especially in compact or mobile systems.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2025
  • To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing, including a tax advisor and/or attorney.
    Steve Hruby, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Jodie Chavious, a board member of the Slow Food Sacramento chapter and owner of the Chavious Pop-Up pizza truck, said representing small farmers was vital to promoting the core tenets of Slow Food — being good, clean and fair.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Just for good measure, award-winning country superstars like Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde and Lainey Wilson would be inclined to agree.
    Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But the phrasing itself is fitting, come to think of it.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Poor-fitting shoes, excess sweat, overtraining, or even your running form can all contribute to blisters.
    Aubrey Bailey, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That relevance has stuck in Kansas City three weeks later.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025
  • With the political violence in his new movie One Battle After Another, Sean Penn is aware of the film’s growing cultural relevance.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • With a very capable Ryzen 7 processor that can handle productivity tasks with ease, paired with a capacious 32GB of DDR5 RAM, this pocket-sized PC can slot in to just about any situation.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Big wheels, sticky tires, and carbon-ceramic brakes round out a package that looks a little less radical on the outside than the Mustang and substantially less retooled on the inside, but clearly no less capable.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Suitability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suitability. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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