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"
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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 ICC called a status hearing on Wednesday after Duterte's lawyers argued the former leader's deteriorating health had made him unfit to stand trial .
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
According to the charge sheet, the defendants helped to launch "a small boat of poor quality, unfit to navigate at sea, overloaded and equipped with inadequate life-jackets".
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
"The haze is massive and everywhere, and it's actually very unfit for people to breathe," Belgis said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 6, 2026
When World War II hit, Flynn tried to join but was deemed 4F, or unfit for service; despite his on-screen athleticism, he had tuberculosis and a bad heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
First, he rejected all existing knowledge as being unfit for making discoveries and useless for transforming the world.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
