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
-
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
The Richard Hugo House was born 25 years ago in a creaky Victorian house on Capitol Hill — humble beginnings that befit its namesake, the celebrated poet who came from a working-class background.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 8, 2023
Ralph Fiennes’ version befit a consummate actor who’d long cherished T.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2023
As befit his rank and station, Quentyn Martell had been given quarters within the Great Pyramid, two levels down—a handsome suite of rooms with its own privy and walled terrace.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
As a faithful Catholic, I hope Pope Leo’s next encyclical restores the balance that befits such important moral documents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
As befits a campaign that has gone badly astray, injuries have played a key part.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
The live communion of these four musicians especially befits Big Ears, a festival devoted to unconventional music and famous for its promise of spontaneity around each corner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
The recital acted like a religious experience in which a rarefied atmosphere befits radiance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2026
"As befits the daughter of. Eddard Stark. I am honored to know you, however irregular the manner of our meeting. I am Ser Barristan Selmy, of the Kingsguard."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
She began with an incisive reading of Webern’s Six Pieces for Orchestra, keeping her conducting elegantly restrained, even economized — gestures that befitted this sharply angled, brief set.
From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2024
The vibe in Joel Coliseum certainly befitted the stakes for the Demon Deacons.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2024
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
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
Decked out in specially-made commemorative kit, Fabian Hurzeler's side produced a performance befitting the occasion.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
A devout Christian, Beshara expressed hope that she and her colleagues would lead "a legislative revolution befitting Syria" that would bring all citizens safety after more than 13 years of war.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
This is a film packed with conversation yet light on longueurs, for the director and his cast invest the dense historical speech with an alertness befitting a besieged community.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
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
Holidays were frivolous and silly, whereas a migration sounded much more serious and responsible, befitting a puffin of the military class.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
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