suitable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of suitable
Explanation
As suitable means appropriate for the purpose, you can imagine that sneakers are more suitable than high heels at a track meet. While suitable always means appropriate for a certain person or situation, sometimes it is not based on fact but merely a matter of opinion. A bicycle is not a suitable mode of transportation during a winter storm because the rider is exposed to the elements. However, the clothing that you think is just fine for school might seem unsuitable to the principal. Unfortunately, he has the final say in that one!
Vocabulary lists containing suitable
The Diary of Anne Frank
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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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.
So Driscoll’s executives focused on blueberries, eventually forming partnerships with other Western companies offering farming expertise and plants with suitable genetics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Davis had been found suitable for parole eight different times since 2010, but California Govs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
A trust would be more suitable if the money were for things other than education.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
Glanville said he hoped the primary takeaway from Morgan's death would be one of responsibility for dog owners, to ensure legislation is being followed and suitable precautions are considered.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
First thing I did was to take him to the stores and fit him out with suitable equipment.
From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque
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.
