befit
Americanverb (used with object)
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befits,
present (3rd person singular)
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befitted,
past participle, past
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befitting
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
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
-
befittedsimple
-
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
Loose curls stand atop his head, messy enough to be neat, neat enough to befit a titan of industry.
From Slate ● Oct. 30, 2024
Ralph Fiennes’ version befit a consummate actor who’d long cherished T.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2023
Karamanlis said he had made “every effort” to improve a railway system that had been “in a state that doesn’t befit the 21st century.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2023
He paused near me; then crossed the room, at which corner I could see him from my hiding place: a youth of my years, perhaps, dressed as might befit an apprentice at some trade.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
As befits an obsessive director, it’s a gift for obsessives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
As befits a campaign that has gone badly astray, injuries have played a key part.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 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
As befits a dialogue framed around reports from the subconscious regions, the Adams-Rush correspondence tended to emphasize the power of the irrational.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Devin looked far from the days where his cheeks were bone thin at weigh-ins and he befitted the stare of the undead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2023
Apart from Serena Williams' farewell, this was the biggest blockbuster of the tournament so far and a match-up between two entertaining players which would have befitted the latter stages.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 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 Pegu Club project befitted the family’s East-meets-West positioning and the optimism of a country newly engaging with the world.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 24, 2021
Bowing extravagantly, as befitted one off to slay a giant, he closed the door behind him.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
The crowd participated too Friday, giving Tucker ovations more befitting a hitter on a heater than one on ice each time he stepped to the plate, where he put up a fight all night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
Thanks to the let-off, Brook treated his home crowd to strokeplay befitting his status as the number-one ranked batter in the world.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 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
The room trappings are grand, befitting his dignified status, and completely invented.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
The teacher, Mrs. Spektor, had a name befitting her appearance.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
