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• fit
  fit

  adjective

  adapted or suited; appropriate.
• FIT
  FIT

  Federal Insurance Tax.

fit

¹ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

adjective

• fitter,
  comparative
• fittest
  superlative

1. adapted or suited; appropriate.

   This water isn't fit for drinking.

   A long-necked giraffe is fit for browsing treetops.

   Synonyms:

   apropos, applicable, meet, proper, apt, suitable

2. proper or becoming.

   This is not fit behavior for a funeral service.

   Synonyms:

   befitting, fitting

3. qualified or competent, as for an office or function.

   It took several interviews to find a fit candidate for the position.

4. prepared or ready.

   Constant updating of methods and equipment will ensure that we're fit for the future.

5. in good physical condition; in good health.

   He's fit for the race.

   Synonyms:

   robust, strong, hardy, hale, healthy

6. Biology.

   1. being adapted to the prevailing conditions and producing offspring that survive to reproductive age.

   2. contributing genetic information to the gene pool of the next generation.

   3. (of a population) maintaining or increasing the group's numbers in the environment.

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verb (used with object)

fitted, fit, fitting

1. to be adapted to or suitable for (a purpose, object, occasion, etc.).

2. to be proper or becoming for.

3. to be of the right size or shape for.

   The dress fitted her perfectly.

4. to adjust or make conform.

   She had the jeweler fit the ring to her finger.

5. to make qualified or competent.

   Courage and patience are among the qualities that fit a person for leadership.

6. to prepare.

   This school fits students for college.

7. to put with precise placement or adjustment.

   He fitted the picture into the frame.

8. to provide; furnish; equip.

   I fitted the cabinet door with a new handle.

9. Statistics. to predict, calculate, or project (values) according to a model based on existing data.

verb (used without object)

fitted, fit, fitting

1. to be suitable or proper.

2. to be of the right size or shape, as a garment for the wearer or any object or part for a thing to which it is applied.

   The shoes fit.

noun

1. the manner in which a thing fits.

   The fit was perfect.

2. something that fits.

   The coat is a poor fit.

3. the process of fitting.

verb phrase

1. fit out / up to furnish with supplies, equipment, clothing, furniture, or other requisites; supply; equip.

   In Kathmandu they found a supplier to fit out the trekking expedition.

idioms

1. fit the bill. bill.

2. fit to kill, to the limit; exceedingly.

   She was dressed up fit to kill.

3. fit to be tied, extremely annoyed or angry.

   He was fit to be tied when I told him I'd wrecked the car.

fit ² American  

[fit] / fɪt /

noun

1. a sudden, acute attack or manifestation of a disease, especially one marked by convulsions or unconsciousness.

   a fit of epilepsy.

2. an onset, spell, or period of emotion, feeling, inclination, activity, etc..

   a fit of anger;

   a fit of weeping.

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idioms

1. by / in fits and starts, at irregular intervals; intermittently.

   This radio works by fits and starts.

2. throw a fit, to become extremely excited or angry.

   Your father will throw a fit when he hears what you have done.

fit ³ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

noun

Archaic.

1. a song, ballad, or story.

2. a division of a song, ballad, or story.

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fit ⁴ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

verb

Nonstandard (chiefly Older Use).

1. simple past tense of fight.

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FIT ⁵ American  

1. Banking. Federal Insurance Tax.

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fit ¹ British  

/ fɪt /

verb

1. to be appropriate or suitable for (a situation, etc)

2. to be of the correct size or shape for (a connection, container, etc)

3. (tr) to adjust in order to render appropriate

   they had to fit the idea to their philosophy

4. (tr) to supply with that which is needed

5. (tr) to try clothes on (someone) in order to make adjustments if necessary

6. (tr) to make competent or ready

   the experience helped to fit him for the task

7. (tr) to locate with care

8. (intr) to correspond with the facts or circumstances

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adjective

1. suitable to a purpose or design; appropriate

2. having the right qualifications; qualifying

3. in good health

4. worthy or deserving

   a book fit to be read

5. (foll by an infinitive) in such an extreme condition that a specified consequence is likely

   she was fit to scream

   you look fit to drop

6. informal (of a person) sexually attractive

noun

1. the manner in which something fits

2. the act or process of fitting

3. statistics the correspondence between observed and predicted characteristics of a distribution or model See goodness of fit

fit ² British  

/ fɪt /

noun

1. pathol a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

2. a sudden spell of emotion

   a fit of anger

3. an impulsive period of activity or lack of activity; mood

   a fit of laziness

4. to surprise a person in an outrageous manner

5. informal to become very angry or excited

6. in spasmodic spells; irregularly

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verb

1. informal (intr) to have a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

fit ³ British  

/ fɪt /

noun

1. archaic a story or song or a section of a story or song

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fit More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fit

• give someone fits
• have a fit
• if the shoe fits
• see fit to
• survival of the fittest

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Usage

Both fit and fitted are standard as past tense and past participle of fit1 : The new door fit (or fitted ) the old frame perfectly. The suit had fitted (or fit ) well last year. Fitted is somewhat more common than fit in the sense “to adjust, make conform”: The tailor fitted the suit with a minimum of fuss. In the passive voice, fitted is the more common past participle: The door was fitted with a new handle.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fittable
  adjective
• unfittable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• fitter
  comparative
• fittest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of fit¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English fitten, fetten “to marshal or deploy troops; to be fitting, befit;” possibly from Old Norse fitja “to web, knit;” akin to Middle Dutch vitten “to befit”

Origin of fit²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of fighting”; see fit ³

Origin of fit³

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of singing, canto, song, speech”

Origin of fit⁴

First recorded in 1805–10

Explanation

"Don't have a fit about it!" someone might snap at you. Chances are you're making a fuss and acting out, characteristics that precisely fit or match what having a fit involves. Chill out. When something fits like a glove, it fits just right. When you put a glove on, you fit each finger into its place. The word fit can mean "matching the shape of something" or "being a good match," like two people who meet online and turn out to be a good fit for one another. But its definitions are not always so rosy. If you're really angry and find yourself throwing a tantrum, you're having a fit.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fit FIT fitter fittest fitted fitting

Additionally, Neglen appears to be a solid fit given his previous experience, particularly in his recent role as CFO at Klarna.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Just because something doesn’t fit into the regressive limitations of “good” and “bad” doesn’t mean that it has no worth.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

On that basis I have selected Tino Livramento, if he can stay fit, although I still hope Tuchel puts doubts about Alexander-Arnold out of his mind.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

The scientist raises an eyebrow and takes a deep breath – these observations don’t fit with Yellowstone’s usual behavior.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Every time Mama dabbed one of the bites with peroxide I would have a dancing fit.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

For the first semester of its program, which concluded in December, FIT received more than 190 applications for 15 spots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

The study aimed to measure how many participants would complete a colorectal cancer screening within six months and how many would undergo a colonoscopy within six months following a positive FIT result.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024

The report highlights the importance of screening, in particular access to the new FIT test for bowel screening.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2023

Earlier this year, the Museum at FIT celebrated hip-hop fashion with an exhibition titled "Fresh, Fly and Fabulous: 50 Years of Hip Hop Style."

From Reuters ● Sep. 5, 2023

If our symbols FIT the world, in the sense of determining our expectations rightly, they may even be the better for not copying its terms.

From Meaning of Truth by William James

"It's not fair that these people that are much fitter than others are just running up the rocks and getting to the top," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

The people included in the study may have been healthier and fitter than the general population.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Plus, it’s a measure of progress—the fitter I get, the easier my heart works.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

Trump often boasts about his health, saying that he is far fitter than previous presidents despite his weight and a love of fast food.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

"And hast been in the battle, clean contrary to your obedience. A boy to break a father's heart! At your age a rod to your breech were fitter than a sword in your fist, ha!"

From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis

McCullum said he is in "total agreement" with Root and that he wants his white-ball side to be the "fittest, strongest, most dynamic, most robust cricket team in the world".

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

The movie projects contempt for the dense from its first frame, sharing a montage of recent pop culture as a stentorian narrator worries that modern conveniences have perverted the concept of survival of the fittest.

From Salon ● Sep. 6, 2026

So far, Whoop has focused its marketing efforts on positioning itself as an aspirational brand worn by some of the fittest people in the world in the most rarefied spaces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Riglar added: "She was one of the fittest players on the team anyway."

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

“Um, with polar bears, it’s not survival of the fittest but survival of the fattest,” Owen told him.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

The bedroom had very little furniture, no radiator or door handle, and was fitted with a bathroom-style door lock on the outside, the force added.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

One camera was fitted with a cover called a “Flock sock.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

To investigate, the researchers fitted five mature saltwater crocodiles with satellite tracking devices.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

But because of the rapid pace of the modifications, the Qatari jet was reportedly not fitted with anti-missile security systems.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

He had a closet in his room, fitted up for the purpose, which smelt of the scented soap like a perfumer’s shop.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

It is a fitting final role for a player whose career has stretched across generations of the WNBA.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

But fitting all the evidence into one explanation remains difficult.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

The 800m was finally reintroduced to the Olympic programme in 1960 and, four years later, the then-22-year-old Brightwell went to her first Olympics, fitting training around her job as a teacher.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

It was fitting that Skubal, the Dodgers’ big trade-deadline acquisition, was on the mound for the clincher.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Which is fitting, because the small islands here remind me of emeralds in the rough.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

Related Words

• able
• apt
• capable
• competent
• happy
• prepared
• qualified
• wise