UNFIT Synonyms: 173 Similar and Opposite Words

unfit

adjective

ˌən-ˈfit

Definition of unfit

as in unfitted

lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job just because I don't have actual work experience doesn't mean I'm unfit for the job

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unsuitable

not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation those flimsy shoes are unfit for the hike we're about to take

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of unfit Besides rest, a driver should completely give over the keys if they are inebriated or otherwise unfit to drive. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 4 Oct. 2026 In court records filed this summer, each parent painted the other as abusive and unfit to care for the needs of their children. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 In the 1960s, military leaders discovered that nearly one-third of young men were unfit for service because of conditions rooted in childhood poverty, poor health care, and limited educational opportunities. — Stanley McChrystal, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026 At the Premier League’s semi-regular meetings between heads of recruitment some have argued that the five-step process is outdated and unfit for purpose. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unfit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unfit

Adjective

Here, Rodel shares how to make the unfitted kitchen trend your own, one statement-worthy piece at a time.

— Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 May 2025
The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.

— Daniel Akst, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022

Definition of unfitted

Adjective

At one unsuitable Gramercy apartment, Taylor encountered Cam Armand, a salesperson on the Kota team at Compass, and the Folwells enlisted his help.

— Joyce Cohen, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
In a setting designed to make exceptional yachts desirable, explaining why a particular vessel is unsuitable requires commercial discipline.

— Christoph Lymbersky, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Adjective

In August 2022, Garza was ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial and ordered to be jailed until a bed in a state mental health treatment facility was available.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
In my opinion, the president and his incompetent, corrupt acolytes have debased the office and dragged the good name of America through the mud.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of incompetent

Adjective

Her colleagues voted twice last year to censure her for inappropriate criticism of city employees.

— Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Specifically, Pickard said his understanding of the immunity deal is that his testimony about adultery and an inappropriate relationship cannot be used against him as part of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

— Matt Schooley, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of inappropriate

Adjective

Colman is incapable of playing any character with just one note, and here delivers another three-dimensional performance of a woman determined to change her life and find her happy place in it.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
As Starlink's speed limits were lowered, Ukraine became incapable of shooting down some Russian drones.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of incapable

Adjective

The stigma of a record impedes their ability to get a job, leaving them unable to afford market-rate housing at a time when affordable housing is already limited.

— Lake County News-Sun, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
The dairies making mozzarella cannot afford to accumulate a highly perishable product if trucks are unable to deliver it to customers.

— Giada Zampano, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of unable

Browse Nearby Words

unfinished

unfit

unfitness

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“Unfit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unfit. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of unfit

adjective

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