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Synonyms

fitting

American  
[fit-ing] / ˈfɪt ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. suitable or appropriate; proper or becoming.

    Synonyms:
    seemly, decorous, right, meet, fit

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that fits.

  2. an act or instance of trying on clothes that are being made or altered to determine proper fit.

  3. anything provided as equipment, parts, supply, etc.

  4. Usually fittings. furniture, fixtures, etc., as of a building or apartment.

fitting British  
/ ˈfɪtɪŋ /

adjective

  1. appropriate or proper; suitable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an accessory or part

    an electrical fitting

  2. (plural) furnishings or accessories in a building

  3. work carried out by a fitter

  4. the act of trying on clothes so that they can be adjusted to fit

  5. size in clothes or shoes

    a narrow fitting
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • fittingly adverb
  • fittingness noun
  • self-fitting adjective
  • underfitting noun
  • unfitting adjective
  • unfittingly adverb
  • well-fitting adjective

Etymology

Origin of fitting

First recorded in 1525–35; fit 1 + -ing 2, -ing 1

Explanation

Something fitting is perfectly appropriate or proper — it's just right. When someone finds your beloved lost turtle, it's fitting to offer them a reward, or at least a sincere thanks. If your cousin loves ponies, a pony theme is a fitting choice for his birthday party. As a noun, fitting has a completely different meaning. A clothing fitting is the process of trying on an outfit to see how it fits. A hardware or plumbing fitting is one small piece that fits into a bigger system. The thing all of these definitions have in common is the root word fit.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

The center is a fitting next chapter to a career that has accelerated over the last decade.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

How fitting it would be this Sunday if he were he to find a way to come of age as a Masters champion.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

"Cousteau and his crew inspired generations to look beneath the surface," said Lerosey-Aubril, "it seemed fitting to name this ancient marine animal after someone who changed the way we see ocean life."

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The trove of fossils found during the museum’s expansion gets a fitting tribute in a 75,000 square-meter swath of concrete on the plaza scored with ropelike patterns, paw prints and serpent-like shapes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

It’s a fitting pathway to my home, he thought.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin

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.