befit
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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befitsimple
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befitssimple
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have befittedperfect
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has befittedperfect
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am befittingprogressive
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are befittingprogressive
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is befittingprogressive
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have been befittingperfect progressive
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has been befittingperfect progressive
Past
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befittedsimple
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had befittedperfect
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was befittingprogressive
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were befittingprogressive
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had been befittingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of befit
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at be-, fit 1
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.
See Examples For:
The glitzy Sphere suits Las Vegas; a new football arena along classical lines would befit Washington, which Frederick Douglass praised for “its lofty domes and stately pillars.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
Ralph Fiennes’ version befit a consummate actor who’d long cherished T.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2023
Unquestioned, unlimited authority may befit a ruler who reigns by divine right.
From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2023
Elaborate gold concoctions that would befit a pope adorned their heads.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 14, 2023
Tyrion traveled with two of his own men, as befit a Lannister.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
But the stadium switch illustrates their ambition, and Chelsea believe it is a venue that befits their recent success.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2026
Mr. Irons is a credit to his family, playing Mycroft with the right balance of bemusement with his brother and the stuffiness that befits a member of the Foreign Office.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
The recital acted like a religious experience in which a rarefied atmosphere befits radiance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2026
If this ethos befits “Brothers in Arms,” which Mr. Wilkins composed, it also inspired the band to change its name.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 25, 2025
The outer planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn, move stately and slow, as befits the kings of the gods.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
The vibe in Joel Coliseum certainly befitted the stakes for the Demon Deacons.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2024
The announcement was made without any warning and delivered, as befitted an academic theologian, in Latin.
From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2022
I made my lost earrings grand and snooty, as befitted objects that demanded the wearer suffer for their beauty.
From New York Times ● Dec. 24, 2021
The show was part of a powerhouse Thursday night lineup for NBC that included "Cheers" and "The Cosby Show," and frequently flirted with edgy material for its time that befitted the show's vice-informed setting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2018
As befitted the central player in the Constitutional Convention, Madison emphasized the various legal obligations imposed by the compact of 1787.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Now, we have moved far beyond this "muddy era" - and the new game is filled with bright colours befitting of the Caribbean setting.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
The billionaire singer and three-time Super Bowl champion, both 36, have kept fans guessing, but media reports describe an over-the-top celebration befitting one of the world's most famous musicians.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
It was befitting of an important office job, with only the lightest indicators of riches and omnipotence.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
It was impressively intact, befitting our industrial candy age.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
Sister Federica pauses for a long moment, then resumes with an air more befitting a divine vision.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
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.
