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Synonyms

fitting

American  
[fit-ing] / ˈfɪt ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. suitable or appropriate; proper or becoming.

    Synonyms:
    seemly, decorous, right, meet, fit

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that fits.

  2. an act or instance of trying on clothes that are being made or altered to determine proper fit.

  3. anything provided as equipment, parts, supply, etc.

  4. Usually fittings. furniture, fixtures, etc., as of a building or apartment.

fitting British  
/ ˈfɪtɪŋ /

adjective

  1. appropriate or proper; suitable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an accessory or part

    an electrical fitting

  2. (plural) furnishings or accessories in a building

  3. work carried out by a fitter

  4. the act of trying on clothes so that they can be adjusted to fit

  5. size in clothes or shoes

    a narrow fitting
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of fitting

First recorded in 1525–35; fit 1 + -ing 2, -ing 1

Explanation

Something fitting is perfectly appropriate or proper — it's just right. When someone finds your beloved lost turtle, it's fitting to offer them a reward, or at least a sincere thanks. If your cousin loves ponies, a pony theme is a fitting choice for his birthday party. As a noun, fitting has a completely different meaning. A clothing fitting is the process of trying on an outfit to see how it fits. A hardware or plumbing fitting is one small piece that fits into a bigger system. The thing all of these definitions have in common is the root word fit.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Fitting and fighting for life - I can't even start imagining the terror he went through."

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2025

Fitting, given that anything more than one foot in front of her would be invisible beneath the shadow of her cockamamie chapeau.

From Salon • Jan. 21, 2025

Fitting the pond into the ground was a difficult project, they said, because the hole had to align with the inflexible contours of the pond and sit flush against the ground.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 25, 2024

Fitting for a franchise eager for the future to arrive as fast as possible.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024

“The Fitting Factory,” said Haley, reading a tag on a shipping crate.

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.