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.
The question now is what a suitable sanction will be - if Southampton are found to be guilty.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
One limiting factor will be the availability of export infrastructure, such as the multibillion-dollar terminals that chill natural gas to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit to make it a liquid suitable for ocean transport.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
The Leverage Shares 2X Long Memory Daily ETF is “not suitable for all investors,” according to the preliminary prospectus for the fund, filed this month with the SEC.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
The outer layer, a removable windbreaker made of nylon and vinyl, is embedded with LED lights suitable for dark environments.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
“Not at all, Tim, I’d have been pleased to help had I been able to find suitable clothes.”
From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
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.
