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
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
His hearing is assisted by small aids, but his mobility and stamina befit a much younger man.
From New York Times ● Sep. 28, 2022
As befit a conqueror, 8-Deer was wearing elaborate cotton armor, a ceremonial beard wig, and a cowl made from the head of a jaguar.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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
The recital acted like a religious experience in which a rarefied atmosphere befits radiance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2026
Barely a speech goes by without him addressing the destructive power of nuclear weapons with a kind of awe that befits a 79-year-old who grew up during the Cold War.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2025
"I will leave you here, Camellia, to get acquainted and witness the toilette ritual that only befits a princess and future queen. I'll see you later this evening for the royal games and banquet."
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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
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
The announcement was made without any warning and delivered, as befitted an academic theologian, in Latin.
From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2022
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
“This will be one of the Great Pieces of American Architecture, honoring the history and significance of Arlington Cemetery and befitting the most powerful Capital in the World.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 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
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 room trappings are grand, befitting his dignified status, and completely invented.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
After Uncle Al recovers from his violent but short-lived bereavement, he organizes a farewell befitting “our beloved Lucinda.”
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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.
