Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective apt differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of apt are appropriate, felicitous, fitting, fit, happy, meet, proper, and suitable. While all these words mean "right with respect to some end, need, use, or circumstance," apt connotes a fitness marked by nicety and discrimination.

apt quotations

When is appropriate a more appropriate choice than apt?

While in some cases nearly identical to apt, appropriate implies eminent or distinctive fitness.

an appropriate gift

When can felicitous be used instead of apt?

The words felicitous and apt can be used in similar contexts, but felicitous suggests an aptness that is opportune, telling, or graceful.

a felicitous phrase

In what contexts can fit take the place of apt?

In some situations, the words fit and apt are roughly equivalent. However, fit stresses adaptability and sometimes special readiness for use or action.

fit for battle

When might fitting be a better fit than apt?

While the synonyms fitting and apt are close in meaning, fitting implies harmony of mood or tone.

a fitting end

Where would happy be a reasonable alternative to apt?

The words happy and apt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, happy suggests what is effectively or successfully appropriate.

a happy choice of words

When would meet be a good substitute for apt?

The meanings of meet and apt largely overlap; however, meet suggests a just proportioning.

meet payment

When could proper be used to replace apt?

Although the words proper and apt have much in common, proper suggests a suitability through essential nature or accordance with custom.

proper acknowledgement

When is it sensible to use suitable instead of apt?

The synonyms suitable and apt are sometimes interchangeable, but suitable implies an answering to requirements or demands.

clothes suitable for camping

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 apt To state that Lucky is the newly single dad to a child with Down syndrome seems both apt and somehow overstates what is handled with an unblinking, quiet care. Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025 An apt place is the Union Oyster House, which is claimed as the oldest continually operating restaurant in the United States. Joe Minihane, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025 The uncanny form provides an eerily apt view of Shakespearean tragedy and an increasingly disorienting post-Covid existence. Brandon Yu, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025 But machines are still apt to miss things like context, making words with two or more meanings sometimes hard to translate. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for apt 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apt
Adjective
  • Between the lines: As Axios' Neil Irwin notes, sovereign wealth funds are by their nature prone to suggestions of cronyism, even if the behavior is entirely legal.
    Felix Salmon, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025
  • People who are in and out of hospitals, homeless shelters, prisons and jails are more prone to contracting tuberculosis, Chin-Hong said.
    Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Democrats gave lengthy speeches lasting 30 hours outlining why Vought is not suitable for the role in an attempt to hinder the confirmation process.
    Ewan Palmer, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Sheriff’s deputies had confiscated his medication and failed to provide a suitable alternative, his civil lawsuit said.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • People are far less inclined to help these passengers, wrote Blewett.
    Bella Stoddart,Monica Pitrelli, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2025
  • The trio are representative of a new generation of American soccer players who, as European leagues have improved exponentially in the last decade, are far more inclined to move abroad to seek new challenges.
    Jamie Barton, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Massey added that while each environment has to feel specific and appropriate, there’s also an overall cohesion to the soundscape that must be maintained.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Editor’s picks Pointing to West’s promotion in the leadup to his upcoming album Bully, Doe’s lawyers call the title appropriate.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Dog folk often call Westminster the Super Bowl of dog shows, and the comparison might be especially fitting this year.
    Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
  • This game may offer him the chance to cap off his career with a second championship, a fitting send-off after a remarkable 15-season tenure.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Like any other law enforcement agency, ICE must check in, show identification, and present proper documentation before taking any action on our campuses.
    Christina Shaw, Fox News, 6 Feb. 2025
  • Those helium cells will use an array of temperature, pressure and humidity sensors to maintain proper lift through the variable conditions of air travel.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • For those of you who like a fitted look, not only are skinny jeans making a comeback (yay), but leggings are also an option, with shiny faux leather or split hem styles on trend that offer a dressier look for nights out.
    Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2025
  • The cream midi length long sleeve dress featured a fitted bodice and full skirt with ruffled cuffs for an extra feminine touch.
    Julia Teti, WWD, 29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Behind these glittering gems was the idea of a more ethical — and traditional — jewelry path, where creations no longer fit to taste or purpose become part of new ones.
    Lily Templeton, WWD, 10 Feb. 2025
  • It’s got a slim, high-rise fit with a deceptive amount of cargo space that includes tennis ball pockets and side pockets.
    Clint Davis, People.com, 10 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near apt

Cite this Entry

“Apt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apt. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on apt

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