unfit
Americanadjective
-
not fit; not adapted or suited; unsuitable.
He was unfit for his office.
- Synonyms:
- unapt, inappropriate
-
unqualified or incompetent.
- Synonyms:
- incapable
-
not physically fit or in due condition.
-
Biology. pertaining to an organism or population that is not adapted to prevailing conditions or is not producing offspring in sufficient numbers to maintain its contribution to the gene pool of the next generation.
verb (used with object)
adjective
-
unqualified, incapable, or incompetent
unfit for military service
-
unsuitable or inappropriate
the ground was unfit for football
-
in poor physical condition
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unfit
Explanation
If someone is unfit, they're not qualified. You're unfit for a job as an ice cream truck driver if your only driving experience has been steering a bumper car at an amusement park. Farmland can be described as unfit for planting if it's been leached of nutrients, and a babysitter might be accused of being unfit if he gets distracted and loses track of his charges on the playground. In either case, the unfit thing or person doesn't meet the necessary requirements or standards. Another way to be unfit is to be out of shape or in poor physical condition. Fit can mean both "suitable" and "in good shape."
Vocabulary lists containing unfit
Way Off: Synonyms for "Wrong"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Rez Dogs
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Three Little Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In 2023, judges halted the trial, deeming the wheelchair-bound Kabuga "unfit to participate meaningfully" in proceedings, but he was ordered to remain detained awaiting provisional release.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
But it would also allow unprecedented control to someone entirely unfit to run a magazine, let alone understand its readers.
From Salon • May 6, 2026
The challengers in these races, however, say they specifically targeted incumbents they believe are unfit for the office, which carries an annual salary of more than $244,000.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
Many of La Fenice's musicians and staff questioned her credentials, arguing that she was unfit to become the music director of one of Italy's most important theatres.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
The unoccupied area that the Osage were eyeing was bigger than Delaware, but most whites regarded the land as “broken, rocky, sterile, and utterly unfit for cultivation,” as one Indian Affairs agent put it.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
