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
-
has been befittingperfect progressive
Past
-
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
So perhaps a Ward-led touchdown drive to win it would befit this drama-filled afternoon.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 24, 2022
As befit the man who had challenged Ernest Rutherford’s disparagement of atomic power as “moonshine” back in 1933, Ernest Lawrence’s first instinct was to take the news of fission as vindication.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
As befits a campaign that has gone badly astray, injuries have played a key part.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Under the direction of Sarah Frankcom, the actors inflect the dialogue with welcome variety, although the overall tone remains firmly dispassionate and emotionally colorless, as befits the dialogue’s cool tone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026
Status quo defenders say the ultralow pay befits a citizen legislature.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026
The recital acted like a religious experience in which a rarefied atmosphere befits radiance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2026
"We have placed each of you in an order, as befits our need and your own strengths and skills."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
But the visitors were largely subdued, rarely threatening in a first half that befitted a game with so little at stake.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 1, 2022
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 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
He dressed in black, as befitted a man of the Night's Watch.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
It’s a trajectory that the immensely appealing, rollicking documentary “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez” tracks with a vitality and purpose befitting its subject.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
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
“My girl needs a better weapon than this woeful sword, something more befitting an Attendant. I was hoping we could have your leave to procure some proper weapons for her.”
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
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.
