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Synonyms

misfit

American  
[mis-fit, mis-fit, mis-fit, mis-fit] / mɪsˈfɪt, mɪsˈfɪt, ˈmɪsˌfɪt, ˈmɪsˌfɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

misfitted, misfitting

  1. to fit badly.

noun

  1. something that fits badly, such as a garment that is too large or too small.

  2. a person who is not suited or is unable to adjust to the circumstances of a particular situation.

    She was a misfit in that job after her big promotion.
misfit British  

noun

  1. a person not suited in behaviour or attitude to a particular social environment

  2. something that does not fit or fits badly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to fail to fit or be fitted

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of misfit

First recorded in 1815–25; mis- 1 + fit 1

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.

She knew what “The Muppet Show” star symbolized and recognized what she meant to her misfit youngest, a zaftig kid frequently chided for taking up too much space.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

Anyone who’s ever felt like an oddball or unappreciated genius will identify with the misfit Mitchells and their pet Monchi, who appears to be more goblin than dog.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

Like Clarence in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Gabriel is a bit of a woebegone misfit in a long coat who needs assistance from the humans he is supposed to be assisting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Having ridden the wave of PSV Eindhoven wonderkid turned Manchester United misfit, he was an early purveyor of analytics in rebooting his career.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

The Home was a misfit operation, lost over the years in a larger system.

From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech

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.