suitability 1 of 2

suitable

2 of 2

adjective

1
2

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
Adjective
Crowell’s own troubles finding a foundation suitable for her sensitive, acne-prone skin type, inspired the brand’s foundation launch, creating a completely non-comedogenic formula to suit. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 9 June 2025 The method isn’t foolproof, however, as factors such as climate and weather conditions determine whether the area surrounding a volcano is suitable for satellite monitoring. Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2025 Since Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 deal that curbed Iran's uranium enrichment activity, deeming the accord deeply flawed, Tehran has accumulated a stockpile of uranium refined to levels close to what would be suitable for nuclear bomb fuel, Reuters reports. Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 6 June 2025 Time for Thorough Searches: Interim appointments allow boards the necessary time to conduct comprehensive searches for suitable permanent leaders. Solange Charas, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for suitability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suitability
Adjective
  • The team – currently ranked 57th in the world – also qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time in 2024, claiming one of Asia’s three berths.
    Hassan Tayir, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
  • The last time Norway qualified for the World Cup was back in 1998, but the team also has rarely had a player like Erling Haaland, who is the all-time leading goal scorer for the team despite only beginning his national team career in 2019.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • The authorities in California and Los Angeles were taking the appropriate actions.
    Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 10 June 2025
  • Measurable: Evaluate reasoning quality by tracking consistency across different scenarios, measuring response accuracy under varying complexity levels, and assessing appropriate uncertainty expression rather than just confidence metrics.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • Then, Bennett, the Panthers best player these playoffs, took a tripping penalty behind the play coming out of the offensive zone.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
  • As good as Trachtenberg is at keeping secrets, this particular one seems unlikely.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Whatever happens next, the World Cup is a fitting lens through which to understand Trump’s approach to the world, as a second-term Trump doctrine takes shape.
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 13 June 2025
  • The opening shot of the episode nods to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper — a fitting visual metaphor for what lies ahead.
    Buddha Lo, People.com, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • Beyond its military relevance, the area is recognized as the first landing place of Africans in the U.S. in 1619.
    Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2025
  • This enables value in relevance, recognition and relationship.
    Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • But women are often the smartest, most capable protagonists in a Hitchcock film.
    Neal Justin, Boston Herald, 13 June 2025
  • According to the researchers, the gel itself is capable of detecting signals through 860,000 individual pathways embedded within the material.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • The parliamentarian is the chamber's adviser on its proper rules and procedures.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025
  • There could be a defense explaining it and somehow providing the proper framework for understanding it.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Even at centers where funds appear to have led to considerable research output, internal strife calls into question the validity of their work.
    Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
  • The White House statement also questions the validity of the pardons and commutations issued by Biden—especially his commutation of the sentences of 37 inmates on federal death row—echoing another Trump claim.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Suitability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suitability. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on suitability

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!