fitting 1 of 2

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
Next year will be the tenth anniversary of Petty’s death, which Johnston says would be a fitting occasion to honor the scope and influence of his career. Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 May 2026 Modern wood tones—cooler ash or white oak—aren’t going to feel as fitting for that time. Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
Verb
Visually, the Mexico City shoot appears to continue U2’s longstanding fascination with urban iconography and public spectacle — fitting for a group that once transformed supermarket rooftops, Las Vegas spheres and downtown intersections into impromptu stages. Spin Staff, SPIN, 13 May 2026 The pregnant actress wore a black loose-fitting dress with a brown jacket, paired with a cheetah print bag and black shades. Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fitting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitting
Adjective
  • Hulse and her colleagues spent several days searching for a suitable location.
    Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 15 May 2026
  • The city is currently planning a new clubhouse there, and recently conducted polls on suitable designs.
    Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Once more, Becerra was the focal point of attacks, befitting his newfound status as the candidate to beat.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
  • Not just beat reporters, mind you, but fan sites, Substacks, podcasts and YouTube channels, all of which spend eight months dissecting every name at every position — a media climate befitting modern college football.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • The team waived tight end Bryce Pierre and running back Montrell Johnson in corresponding moves.
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2026
  • Nagatitan lived at a time when Earth’s atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were climbing, corresponding to high global temperatures.
    Reuters, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Google has been able to grow its search advertising revenue while adjusting the product into more of a chatbot experience, in a bid to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic PBC.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
  • Hunting EVs metals To address the issue, the team designed an adaptive extraction plant capable of adjusting process parameters and chemical additives based on the composition of local thermal waters.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Beyond the longstanding economic embargo and an oil blockade that has pushed the island’s energy crisis to its limits, the United States is preparing an indictment against former President Raúl Castro, according to sources.
    Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 18 May 2026
  • All rights reserved SpaceX is preparing for the next major test of its Starship launch system, with liftoff targeted for Tuesday evening from the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • Teams are very accommodating in that regard.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 May 2026
  • The vehicles feature a spacious, bidirectional interior without a steering wheel, accommodating up to four passengers.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • Investigators said prior to his death, Noel's mother failed to give him appropriate care for issues that included chronic lung disease, pulmonary edema, and esotropia.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 16 May 2026
  • Officers have also said in Board of Correction meetings that our city should divert people with serious mental health needs into appropriate treatment, rather than relying on them to fill in for shameful gaps in our public health system.
    Jason Rodriguez, New York Daily News, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Acting as an easy alternative to trousers, the skirt instantly softens tailoring and lends a more undone, modern feel to suiting.
    Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
  • Design can help with that, starting with accessories that keep your brush head far from the orange grime that lines the sink while simply suiting your bathroom’s style.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 23 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitting. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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