suitable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
But it's not just wheat flour, or barley that can fuel fermentation, all sorts of substances are suitable - in biology those fermentation hosts are known as substrates.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Mr. Bolton will instead ask the court for probation, which is far more suitable for the single offense, but a judge will decide.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Researchers must typically wait 18 to 24 months before mice reach an age suitable for aging research.
From Science Daily • May 31, 2026
The Housing Bureau said over 100 households had already moved out of Lau's building, and that it was helping the 40 that are left to find suitable accommodation.
From Barron's • May 28, 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.
