suitability 1 of 2

Definition of suitabilitynext

suitable

2 of 2

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
The study is examining whether portions of the coastline meet criteria for national park designation, including significance, suitability and feasibility, along with the need for National Park Service management. City News Service, Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026 The Rosehill Gardens design-build model ensures that every vision is grounded in reality, from soil suitability to the integration of complex irrigation systems. Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Securities, investment products, other financial products or strategies discussed herein may not be suitable for all investors. Katie Stockton, CNBC, 1 June 2026 When sediment flow is disrupted, riverbeds can be simplified and less suitable for spawning, while altered temperatures and flow reduce habitat diversity. Radina Gigova, CNN Money, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for suitability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suitability
Noun
  • According to council members who supported the decision, concerns included the appropriateness of the program for children and its potential impact on attendance by some families.
    Jack Springgate, CBS News, 3 June 2026
  • Participants prioritized scientific and medical accuracy, clarity, ease of pronunciation, avoiding stigma, and cultural appropriateness.
    Melanie Cree, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • Only hire qualified, line-clearing professionals to trim trees and other vegetation near power lines.
    CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 4 June 2026
  • The senior from Spokane qualified for nationals in the javelin on his final throw of the NCAA West Regional with a distance of 236-7.
    Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2026
Adjective
  • Sitting at home with his wife and children, Wildmon tried to find something appropriate for his family to watch on TV.
    Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
  • Roberts' defense asserted in its May 22 sentencing brief, unsealed Wednesday, that probation rather than prison time would be appropriate.
    Kyle Werner, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • Playwright Mark Rosenblatt takes a leaf from the Peter Morgan playbook of using newsy real-life controversies with direct contemporary applicability to spark balanced drama.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
  • These factors reduce the applicability and appeal to venture-style funding.
    Samuel Mueller, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • But on the other hand the club also needed power, and even in a best case scenario Durbin never projected as someone who’d move the needle much in that area.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • Then obviously, the Colorado Eagles and the Colorado Avalanche — just two really good teams.
    Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • Stankiewicz, 61, smirked at the fitting metaphor after the Trojans clinched their first NCAA super regional berth in 21 years.
    Jose de Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • Adapt if your current costume is ill-fitting.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Raman is well-versed on matters of relevance and could have pushed back against Bass in substantive, detailed ways.
    Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
  • Research opportunities are incorporated in parallel, selected for their relevance to the candidate's specialty focus, and timed to help strengthen the application profile in a meaningful way.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said a larger nuclear deployment in Europe would require more dual-capable aircraft such as the F-35, which can carry both nuclear and conventional weapons.
    Hugh Leask, CNBC, 2 June 2026
  • Here’s hoping that’s not the case, because Arjona looks more than capable of taking out these glowing-eyed freaks all by herself.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Suitability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suitability. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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