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
-
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
-
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
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
Ramsay Bolton was attired as befit the lord of the Horn- wood and heir to the Dreadfort.
From "A Dance with Dragons" 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
They are so regular, in fact, that investors give them a name—crypto winter—that befits the belief that these downturns are as predictable as the seasons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 7, 2026
The answer is evasive but also magnanimous, as befits Mr. Youngkin’s personality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 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
The safari park said she had a big character which befitted her 1.5 tonne frame.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2023
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
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
Mr. Lapham, as befitted his venerable years and his dignity as master of the house, sat in an armchair at the head of the table.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
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
The chapters are also highly social, befitting a generation that came of age during Covid’s lockdowns and loneliness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 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
Lemore had changed out of her septa’s robes into garb more befitting the wife or daughter of a prosperous merchant.
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.
