suitable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of suitable
Explanation
As suitable means appropriate for the purpose, you can imagine that sneakers are more suitable than high heels at a track meet. While suitable always means appropriate for a certain person or situation, sometimes it is not based on fact but merely a matter of opinion. A bicycle is not a suitable mode of transportation during a winter storm because the rider is exposed to the elements. However, the clothing that you think is just fine for school might seem unsuitable to the principal. Unfortunately, he has the final say in that one!
Vocabulary lists containing suitable
The Diary of Anne Frank
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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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.
After the deputy activated the lights on his car and initiated the traffic stop, Chrisley allegedly passed “multiple suitable stopping locations” before finally pulling over at a Chevron station, the report said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
Volunteer co-ordinator Heather Morrison said the volume of data gathered should help identify areas suitable for protection.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
She said the Supplementary Vote system was "suitable for the election of single executive office holders, such as mayors" and argued that it "ensures a broader level of support for the person elected".
From BBC • May 21, 2026
“Believing, as we do, that a division of our earnings between capital and labor is unequal, we have sought a plan of relief suitable for our business,” Ford told reporters gathered in his office.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
Venus could not object to a goddess for her daughter-in-law; the alliance had become eminently suitable.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
