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• fit
  fit

  adjective

  adapted or suited; appropriate.
• FIT
  FIT

  Federal Insurance Tax.

fit

¹ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

adjective

fitter, comparative fittest superlative

1. adapted or suited; appropriate.

   This water isn't fit for drinking.

   A long-necked giraffe is fit for browsing treetops.

   Synonyms:

   apropos, applicable, meet, proper, apt, suitable

2. proper or becoming.

   This is not fit behavior for a funeral service.

   Synonyms:

   befitting, fitting

3. qualified or competent, as for an office or function.

   It took several interviews to find a fit candidate for the position.

4. prepared or ready.

   Constant updating of methods and equipment will ensure that we're fit for the future.

5. in good physical condition; in good health.

   He's fit for the race.

   Synonyms:

   robust, strong, hardy, hale, healthy

6. Biology.

   1. being adapted to the prevailing conditions and producing offspring that survive to reproductive age.

   2. contributing genetic information to the gene pool of the next generation.

   3. (of a population) maintaining or increasing the group's numbers in the environment.

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verb (used with object)

fitted, fit, fitting

1. to be adapted to or suitable for (a purpose, object, occasion, etc.).

2. to be proper or becoming for.

3. to be of the right size or shape for.

   The dress fitted her perfectly.

4. to adjust or make conform.

   She had the jeweler fit the ring to her finger.

5. to make qualified or competent.

   Courage and patience are among the qualities that fit a person for leadership.

6. to prepare.

   This school fits students for college.

7. to put with precise placement or adjustment.

   He fitted the picture into the frame.

8. to provide; furnish; equip.

   I fitted the cabinet door with a new handle.

9. Statistics. to predict, calculate, or project (values) according to a model based on existing data.

verb (used without object)

fitted, fit, fitting

1. to be suitable or proper.

2. to be of the right size or shape, as a garment for the wearer or any object or part for a thing to which it is applied.

   The shoes fit.

noun

1. the manner in which a thing fits.

   The fit was perfect.

2. something that fits.

   The coat is a poor fit.

3. the process of fitting.

verb phrase

1. fit out / up to furnish with supplies, equipment, clothing, furniture, or other requisites; supply; equip.

   In Kathmandu they found a supplier to fit out the trekking expedition.

idioms

1. fit the bill. bill.

2. fit to kill, to the limit; exceedingly.

   She was dressed up fit to kill.

3. fit to be tied, extremely annoyed or angry.

   He was fit to be tied when I told him I'd wrecked the car.

fit ² American  

[fit] / fɪt /

noun

1. a sudden, acute attack or manifestation of a disease, especially one marked by convulsions or unconsciousness.

   a fit of epilepsy.

2. an onset, spell, or period of emotion, feeling, inclination, activity, etc..

   a fit of anger;

   a fit of weeping.

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idioms

1. by / in fits and starts, at irregular intervals; intermittently.

   This radio works by fits and starts.

2. throw a fit, to become extremely excited or angry.

   Your father will throw a fit when he hears what you have done.

fit ³ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

noun

Archaic.

1. a song, ballad, or story.

2. a division of a song, ballad, or story.

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fit ⁴ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

verb

Nonstandard (chiefly Older Use).

1. simple past tense of fight.

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FIT ⁵ American  

1. Banking. Federal Insurance Tax.

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fit ¹ British  

/ fɪt /

verb

1. to be appropriate or suitable for (a situation, etc)

2. to be of the correct size or shape for (a connection, container, etc)

3. (tr) to adjust in order to render appropriate

   they had to fit the idea to their philosophy

4. (tr) to supply with that which is needed

5. (tr) to try clothes on (someone) in order to make adjustments if necessary

6. (tr) to make competent or ready

   the experience helped to fit him for the task

7. (tr) to locate with care

8. (intr) to correspond with the facts or circumstances

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adjective

1. suitable to a purpose or design; appropriate

2. having the right qualifications; qualifying

3. in good health

4. worthy or deserving

   a book fit to be read

5. (foll by an infinitive) in such an extreme condition that a specified consequence is likely

   she was fit to scream

   you look fit to drop

6. informal (of a person) sexually attractive

noun

1. the manner in which something fits

2. the act or process of fitting

3. statistics the correspondence between observed and predicted characteristics of a distribution or model See goodness of fit

fit ² British  

/ fɪt /

noun

1. pathol a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

2. a sudden spell of emotion

   a fit of anger

3. an impulsive period of activity or lack of activity; mood

   a fit of laziness

4. to surprise a person in an outrageous manner

5. informal to become very angry or excited

6. in spasmodic spells; irregularly

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verb

1. informal (intr) to have a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

fit ³ British  

/ fɪt /

noun

1. archaic a story or song or a section of a story or song

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fit More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fit

• give someone fits
• have a fit
• if the shoe fits
• see fit to
• survival of the fittest

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Usage

Both fit and fitted are standard as past tense and past participle of fit1 : The new door fit (or fitted ) the old frame perfectly. The suit had fitted (or fit ) well last year. Fitted is somewhat more common than fit in the sense “to adjust, make conform”: The tailor fitted the suit with a minimum of fuss. In the passive voice, fitted is the more common past participle: The door was fitted with a new handle.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fittable
  adjective
• unfittable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• fitter
  comparative
• fittest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of fit¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English fitten, fetten “to marshal or deploy troops; to be fitting, befit;” possibly from Old Norse fitja “to web, knit;” akin to Middle Dutch vitten “to befit”

Origin of fit²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of fighting”; see fit ³

Origin of fit³

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of singing, canto, song, speech”

Origin of fit⁴

First recorded in 1805–10

Explanation

"Don't have a fit about it!" someone might snap at you. Chances are you're making a fuss and acting out, characteristics that precisely fit or match what having a fit involves. Chill out. When something fits like a glove, it fits just right. When you put a glove on, you fit each finger into its place. The word fit can mean "matching the shape of something" or "being a good match," like two people who meet online and turn out to be a good fit for one another. But its definitions are not always so rosy. If you're really angry and find yourself throwing a tantrum, you're having a fit.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fit FIT fitter fittest fitted fitting

Those ships also carried supplies of fresh water for the monthslong voyage, stored in barrels fit for mosquito breeding.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

Schools and districts should ask two things: does the response fit what’s driving the behavior, and does the behavior change?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Downer says working with kwn has become a natural fit.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

He looked fit, like he’s been taking care of himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Dressmakers arrived at Barnum’s Hotel to fit the Foxes in the latest gowns, gloves, and bonnets.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

For the first semester of its program, which concluded in December, FIT received more than 190 applications for 15 spots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

Those eligible for screening who are registered with a GP get a home FIT kit through the post every two years.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

Among those who had a positive FIT result, the intervention group had a higher follow-up colonoscopy rate, with 68.8% completing the procedure compared to 44.4% in the control group.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024

Earlier this year, the Museum at FIT celebrated hip-hop fashion with an exhibition titled "Fresh, Fly and Fabulous: 50 Years of Hip Hop Style."

From Reuters ● Sep. 5, 2023

Make the public-house FIT for women and children.

From The New Machiavelli by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)

But he insists he feels fitter than ever and he dreams of "living to 120."

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

Plus, it’s a measure of progress—the fitter I get, the easier my heart works.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

Trump often boasts about his health, saying that he is far fitter than previous presidents despite his weight and a love of fast food.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

Despite being leapfrogged by Sadia Kabeya, player of the match in the World Cup final, the Saracens forward said she was contracted until June 2026 and felt fitter than ever.

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

Hazel’s leg was stronger and Bigwig felt fitter than at any time since he went into Efrafa.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

So far, Whoop has focused its marketing efforts on positioning itself as an aspirational brand worn by some of the fittest people in the world in the most rarefied spaces.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

New CEO Greg Abel might favor survival of the fittest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

Ilione has added both muscle and mindset in recent months, however, telling BBC Radio Leicester last week that he is the "strongest and fittest" he has ever been.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2025

Once described as the "fittest" match official in global football and a martial arts expert, he is now learning to walk again after a rare condition left him paralysed from the waist down.

From BBC ● Apr. 2, 2025

But I told myself that in nature it’s survival of the fittest.

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate

We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as a civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.

From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026

The ULR in its designation stands for "ultra long distance", a feat made possible by an additional 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank being fitted to Airbus's A350-1000 model.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

More than 5,200 firefighters, police and soldiers have been deployed to the region, along with 18 firefighting aircraft, including a military transport plane that was fitted with a temporary tank.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Transfer the whipped ricotta to a piping bag fitted with a large round or star tip.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

Some roofs were fitted with new chimneys or water towers, while other structures had fallen into further ruin.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

The findings support once weekly brisk interval walking as a practical therapeutic option for adults with central obesity, especially those who have difficulty fitting several workouts into their schedules.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

The Committee recommends fitting these devices in hospitals and care homes within 10 years, and schools in 25 years.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

The proposed airplane would seat about 250 passengers and fly about 5,000 nautical miles, fitting between the biggest narrowbodies and the smallest wide-bodies that Boeing and Airbus currently sell.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

The scandal erupted in September 2015 when German automaker Volkswagen admitted fitting millions of vehicles with software to make engines appear less polluting in regulatory tests than in real driving conditions.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

And the three girls set to work combing Boo’s hair, applying lipstick, painting her fingernails, and fitting her with fairy wings.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• able
• apt
• capable
• competent
• happy
• prepared
• qualified
• wise