unfit
Americanadjective
-
not fit; not adapted or suited; unsuitable.
He was unfit for his office.
- Synonyms:
- unapt, inappropriate
-
unqualified or incompetent.
- Synonyms:
- incapable
-
not physically fit or in due condition.
-
Biology. pertaining to an organism or population that is not adapted to prevailing conditions or is not producing offspring in sufficient numbers to maintain its contribution to the gene pool of the next generation.
verb (used with object)
adjective
-
unqualified, incapable, or incompetent
unfit for military service
-
unsuitable or inappropriate
the ground was unfit for football
-
in poor physical condition
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of unfit
Explanation
If someone is unfit, they're not qualified. You're unfit for a job as an ice cream truck driver if your only driving experience has been steering a bumper car at an amusement park. Farmland can be described as unfit for planting if it's been leached of nutrients, and a babysitter might be accused of being unfit if he gets distracted and loses track of his charges on the playground. In either case, the unfit thing or person doesn't meet the necessary requirements or standards. Another way to be unfit is to be out of shape or in poor physical condition. Fit can mean both "suitable" and "in good shape."
Vocabulary lists containing unfit
Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"
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Rez Dogs
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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.
In another song about the absurd reasons why they have been deemed unfit for society, the girls drag out that old canard: “Sane in an insane world.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
She faces a trial of the facts after she was previously deemed unfit to face a conventional trial on mental health grounds, and is therefore not participating in proceedings.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The greatest gains in fitness come when unfit people start exercising, not when fit people exercise more.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
The Florida woman who allegedly raked Rihanna’s West L.A. home with rifle fire earlier this year may be mentally unfit to stand trial, her attorney said in court Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
More than enough to stamp her as unfit to rule.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
