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.
The team also used climate models to estimate where suitable gentoo habitat may exist in 2050.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Some 80% of that demand is suitable for automation in the medium term, Einride said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
Davis had been found suitable for parole eight different times since 2010, but California Govs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Paul has severe neuropathy and needs accommodation that meets his accessibility needs, while also being suitable for a family of six.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
It would only be for a little while, until they could find something more suitable, until their house could be repaired.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
