fit

¹ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

adjective

fitter, fittest

1. adapted or suited; appropriate.

   This water isn't fit for drinking.

   A long-necked giraffe is fit for browsing treetops.

   Synonyms:

   apropos, applicable, meet, proper, apt, suitable

2. proper or becoming.

   This is not fit behavior for a funeral service.

   Synonyms:

   befitting, fitting

3. qualified or competent, as for an office or function.

   It took several interviews to find a fit candidate for the position.

4. prepared or ready.

   Constant updating of methods and equipment will ensure that we're fit for the future.

5. in good physical condition; in good health.

   He's fit for the race.

   Synonyms:

   robust, strong, hardy, hale, healthy

6. Biology.

   1. being adapted to the prevailing conditions and producing offspring that survive to reproductive age.

   2. contributing genetic information to the gene pool of the next generation.

   3. (of a population) maintaining or increasing the group's numbers in the environment.

---

verb (used with object)

fitted, fit, fitting

1. to be adapted to or suitable for (a purpose, object, occasion, etc.).

2. to be proper or becoming for.

3. to be of the right size or shape for.

   The dress fitted her perfectly.

4. to adjust or make conform.

   She had the jeweler fit the ring to her finger.

5. to make qualified or competent.

   Courage and patience are among the qualities that fit a person for leadership.

6. to prepare.

   This school fits students for college.

7. to put with precise placement or adjustment.

   He fitted the picture into the frame.

8. to provide; furnish; equip.

   I fitted the cabinet door with a new handle.

9. Statistics. to predict, calculate, or project (values) according to a model based on existing data.

verb (used without object)

fitted, fit, fitting

1. to be suitable or proper.

2. to be of the right size or shape, as a garment for the wearer or any object or part for a thing to which it is applied.

   The shoes fit.

noun

1. the manner in which a thing fits.

   The fit was perfect.

2. something that fits.

   The coat is a poor fit.

3. the process of fitting.

verb phrase

1. fit out / up to furnish with supplies, equipment, clothing, furniture, or other requisites; supply; equip.

   In Kathmandu they found a supplier to fit out the trekking expedition.

idioms

1. fit the bill. bill.

2. fit to kill, to the limit; exceedingly.

   She was dressed up fit to kill.

3. fit to be tied, extremely annoyed or angry.

   He was fit to be tied when I told him I'd wrecked the car.

fit ² American  

[fit] / fɪt /

noun

1. a sudden, acute attack or manifestation of a disease, especially one marked by convulsions or unconsciousness.

   a fit of epilepsy.

2. an onset, spell, or period of emotion, feeling, inclination, activity, etc..

   a fit of anger;

   a fit of weeping.

---

idioms

1. by / in fits and starts, at irregular intervals; intermittently.

   This radio works by fits and starts.

2. throw a fit, to become extremely excited or angry.

   Your father will throw a fit when he hears what you have done.

fit ³ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

noun

Archaic.

1. a song, ballad, or story.

2. a division of a song, ballad, or story.

---

fit ⁴ American  

[fit] / fɪt /

verb

Nonstandard (chiefly Older Use).

1. simple past tense of fight.

---

FIT ⁵ American  

1. Banking. Federal Insurance Tax.

---

fit ¹ British  

/ fɪt /

verb

1. to be appropriate or suitable for (a situation, etc)

2. to be of the correct size or shape for (a connection, container, etc)

3. (tr) to adjust in order to render appropriate

   they had to fit the idea to their philosophy

4. (tr) to supply with that which is needed

5. (tr) to try clothes on (someone) in order to make adjustments if necessary

6. (tr) to make competent or ready

   the experience helped to fit him for the task

7. (tr) to locate with care

8. (intr) to correspond with the facts or circumstances

---

adjective

1. suitable to a purpose or design; appropriate

2. having the right qualifications; qualifying

3. in good health

4. worthy or deserving

   a book fit to be read

5. (foll by an infinitive) in such an extreme condition that a specified consequence is likely

   she was fit to scream

   you look fit to drop

6. informal (of a person) sexually attractive

noun

1. the manner in which something fits

2. the act or process of fitting

3. statistics the correspondence between observed and predicted characteristics of a distribution or model See goodness of fit

fit ² British  

/ fɪt /

noun

1. pathol a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

2. a sudden spell of emotion

   a fit of anger

3. an impulsive period of activity or lack of activity; mood

   a fit of laziness

4. to surprise a person in an outrageous manner

5. informal to become very angry or excited

6. in spasmodic spells; irregularly

---

verb

1. informal (intr) to have a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure

fit ³ British  

/ fɪt /

noun

1. archaic a story or song or a section of a story or song

---

fit More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fit

• give someone fits
• have a fit
• if the shoe fits
• see fit to
• survival of the fittest

---

Usage

Both fit and fitted are standard as past tense and past participle of fit1 : The new door fit (or fitted ) the old frame perfectly. The suit had fitted (or fit ) well last year. Fitted is somewhat more common than fit in the sense “to adjust, make conform”: The tailor fitted the suit with a minimum of fuss. In the passive voice, fitted is the more common past participle: The door was fitted with a new handle.

Other Word Forms

• fittable adjective
• unfittable adjective

Etymology

Origin of fit¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English fitten, fetten “to marshal or deploy troops; to be fitting, befit;” possibly from Old Norse fitja “to web, knit;” akin to Middle Dutch vitten “to befit”

Origin of fit²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of fighting”; see fit ³

Origin of fit³

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English fitt “round of singing, canto, song, speech”

Origin of fit⁴

First recorded in 1805–10

Explanation

"Don't have a fit about it!" someone might snap at you. Chances are you're making a fuss and acting out, characteristics that precisely fit or match what having a fit involves. Chill out. When something fits like a glove, it fits just right. When you put a glove on, you fit each finger into its place. The word fit can mean "matching the shape of something" or "being a good match," like two people who meet online and turn out to be a good fit for one another. But its definitions are not always so rosy. If you're really angry and find yourself throwing a tantrum, you're having a fit.

Example Sentences

But because “Marjorie Morningstar” wasn’t “Madame Bovary,” because “Travels With Charley” wasn’t “Anna Karenina,” Macdonald worked himself into a fit over the utter worthlessness of middlebrow fiction.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

The rear seats fit close and hold tight, helping to keep passengers from moving about the cabin during turbulence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

"The trouble is, you get lazy. This to me helps your momentum of keeping fit."

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

LIV Golf does not fit into that category and was not mentioned.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

When I finally passed out during a coughing fit, I was left alone, and when I came to, we were heading for the shore.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

• able
• apt
• capable
• competent
• happy
• prepared
• qualified
• wise