unsuitableun‧suit‧a‧ble /ʌnˈsuːtəbəl, -ˈsjuː- $ -ˈsuː-/ ●○○ adjective 
unsuitable housingunsuitable for The book is unsuitable for children.THESAURUSunsuitable/not suitable not having the right qualities for a particular person, purpose, or situation: · These toys are not suitable for children under 3.· The job was considered unsuitable for women.· Some dogs end up in totally unsuitable homes.not appropriate/inappropriate not suitable for a particular situation or purpose – used especially about someone’s behaviour or language: · Slang is not appropriate in an academic essay.· Never reward inappropriate behaviour.· It would not be appropriate for us to comment at this stage.wrong not the right thing or person for a particular job or purpose: · You’re using the wrong spoon – this is the soup spoon.· She was simply the wrong person for the job.out of place [not before noun] not looking or seeming suitable for that place or situation: · The horse drawn carriage looks a little out of place among the busy traffic.· At first I felt a bit out of place.incompatible two ideas or things that are incompatible cannot exist or be done together. Two people who are incompatible are unlikely to have a successful relationship, because they have very different characters, beliefs etc: · He considered the role of wife and mother to be incompatible with a career.· Why do totally incompatible people get married?incongruous formal seeming strange and unsuitable, often in a humorous way, because of being unexpected in a particular situation or very different from its surroundings: · It seemed incongruous having a dance-band at the funeral.· He was dressed in a three-piece suit with an incongruous tie shaped like a fish.inconvenient an inconvenient place or time is not suitable and causes problems for you: · He always seems to call at inconvenient times.· The new station is inconvenient to pedestrians, because it is a long walk from the centre of town.unfit not suitable to be used for something, or not suitable to do something: · The boat is not only unfit to live in but is actually unsafe.· The meat was declared unfit for human consumption (=not suitable to eat).· He claims she is an unfit mother.· A jury decided Pryse-Jones was unfit to stand trial at court because of his mental illness.· The house was unfit for human habitation (=not suitable to live in).
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Councils were supposed to set up sites for industrial and domestic wastes; the Baldonnell site was to marshal other unsuitable wastes.
- Ecologically, too, pop is highly unsuitable.
- Honey wears Bernie's unsuitable hat.
- It is seen as very helpful in some areas but entirely unsuitable in others.
- Masters degree theses were excluded because the smaller numbers made them unsuitable for analysis.
- Patients with brittle diabetes or recurrent staphylococcal infections are also unsuitable for infusion pumps.
- Since the statistics are collected for administrative rather than sociological purposes, the definitions used and the classifications made are often unsuitable.
THESAURUS
not having the right qualities for a particular person, purpose, or situation: · These toys are not suitable for children under 3.· The job was considered unsuitable for women.· Some dogs end up in totally unsuitable homes.
not suitable for a particular situation or purpose – used especially about someone’s behaviour or language: · Slang is not appropriate in an academic essay.· Never reward inappropriate behaviour.· It would not be appropriate for us to comment at this stage.
not the right thing or person for a particular job or purpose: · You’re using the wrong spoon – this is the soup spoon.· She was simply the wrong person for the job.
[not before noun] not looking or seeming suitable for that place or situation: · The horse drawn carriage looks a little out of place among the busy traffic.· At first I felt a bit out of place.
two ideas or things that are incompatible cannot exist or be done together. Two people who are incompatible are unlikely to have a successful relationship, because they have very different characters, beliefs etc: · He considered the role of wife and mother to be incompatible with a career.· Why do totally incompatible people get married?
formal seeming strange and unsuitable, often in a humorous way, because of being unexpected in a particular situation or very different from its surroundings: · It seemed incongruous having a dance-band at the funeral.· He was dressed in a three-piece suit with an incongruous tie shaped like a fish.
an inconvenient place or time is not suitable and causes problems for you: · He always seems to call at inconvenient times.· The new station is inconvenient to pedestrians, because it is a long walk from the centre of town.
not suitable to be used for something, or not suitable to do something: · The boat is not only unfit to live in but is actually unsafe.· The meat was declared unfit for human consumption (=not suitable to eat).· He claims she is an unfit mother.· A jury decided Pryse-Jones was unfit to stand trial at court because of his mental illness.· The house was unfit for human habitation (=not suitable to live in).
Longman Language Activatornot suitable for a particular purpose, person, or situation · We never planted roses here because the climate isn't suitable.· The strict laws forbid women to read "unsuitable material."unsuitable/not suitable for · The road is not suitable for heavy vehicles.· The movie contains violence and is unsuitable for children.
formal not suitable for a situation or purpose - use this especially about something that has been done or chosen without enough care or thought: · This is not an appropriate use of taxpayers' money.· I thought his remarks were inappropriate on such a serious occasion.inappropriate/not appropriate for: · The court found that the sex-education brochures were inappropriate for eighth-grade students.it is inappropriate/not appropriate (for somebody) to do something: · It's completely inappropriate for the President to get so involved in a local issue like this.
not having the qualities or characteristics that are needed for a particular purpose or situation: · The tomatoes didn't grow because they're unsuited to the soil here.· Her outfit was completely unsuited to the tropical climate.
not the right one for a particular job or purpose: · You're using the wrong spoon - this is the soup spoon.· I think you picked the wrong time to call her.wrong for: · His brand of nationalism is wrong for our party and wrong for the country.
use this when it is completely the wrong time or place in which to do something, or the person doing it is a completely unsuitable person: · This is hardly the place to talk about your sexual problems.· I know it's hardly the moment to tell you, but I've quit my job.· This little man was hardly the kind of person you'd expect to be in charge of an international gun-smuggling scheme.
not good enough for a particular purpose, especially when someone has officially decided this: unfit/not fit for: · The land is so polluted it is not fit for crops.unfit for human consumption/habitation (=not fit for humans to eat or live in): · The meat was declared unfit for human consumption.unfit/not fit to do something: · Her uncle was mentally unstable and unfit to raise a child.
when someone is not suitable for a particular job or situation · They told me that the reason I was considered unsuitable was that I was over-qualified.· We've already rejected several unsuitable candidates.unsuitable/not suitable for · The first person we interviewed was clearly not suitable for the job.
informal if you are not cut out for a type of work or way of life, you do not have the right qualities to enjoy it or to be successful in it: · Obviously, Paul was not cut out for army life.· She'd been married only a year and a half when her husband decided he was not cut out for marriage.
completely unsuitable for a particular job: · This is a very important job, so we don't want to choose the wrong person.wrong for: · Dave's wrong for this job. He doesn't have enough patience.
formal unsuitable for a particular job or activity, because you do not have the right qualities for it: · With so little experience, Paula is not really suited to the role of personnel director.· The Lieutenant was by nature a man ill-suited to the discomforts of army life.
to be, feel, or look very different from the other people you are with, and therefore seem to not belong with them: · In her old jeans and college sweater, Sarah looked a little out of place in the foyer of the Grand Hotel.· Leary later went to Beverly Hills High School, but he felt out of place among the rich kids.
someone who does not seem to belong in a group or in society because they have different attitudes, a different appearance, different habits etc: · I didn't have a very happy time at school - I suppose I was something of a misfit.social/societal misfit: · He's always blamed his parents for turning him into a social misfit.
when something is not suitable for a place or situation if something is out of place , it seems or looks very different from the other things around it, and therefore seems unsuitable for that particular place or situation: · Extremely informal language is out of place in an academic essay.· The Christmas decorations looked somehow out of place in Waikiki.
to not seem right or suitable when seen together with something else that is very different in style or character: · Serious poetry published in newspapers always seems slightly out of keeping.be out of keeping/not be in keeping with: · Those new windows are not really in keeping with the style of the house.· The cheerful cover of the diary was out of keeping with the thoughts I was recording inside.
something that is incongruous seems strange and unsuitable, often in a humorous way, because it is so unexpected in a particular situation, so different from its surroundings etc: · It seemed incongruous having a dance-band at the funeral.· He was dressed in a three-piece suit with an incongruous tie shaped like a fish.
when two people are not suitable for each other two people who are incompatible are unable to form a long relationship with each other because they have very different characters, attitudes, interests etc: · After a week together on vacation it was clear that they were totally incompatible.· My parents always seemed incompatible to me, but they stayed together for over 40 years.
to not be the right type of person to form a relationship with someone else, especially a long or serious relationship: · Everyone told him that she was wrong for him, but he wouldn't listen.· I'll introduce you if you want, but I don't think he's really right for you.
informal to not be a suitable person to form a relationship or friendship with someone else because you have different attitudes, interests etc or because you are not attracted to someone with particular characteristics: · All he ever talks about is football - he's not really my type.· Denise was really nice, but physically she wasn't my type.
if two people are not suited , they are not suitable for each other because they have very different attitudes and characters: · I've never thought of going out with her - we're not really suited.not be suited to/for: · If two people aren't naturally suited to each other, there's no point in pursuing a relationship.
formal two people who are having a relationship who are ill-matched , have very different characters, interests etc and their relationship is likely to be very difficult or unsuccessful: · They were both strong, vital people, but they made an ill-matched couple.· Whenever you see them, they're always arguing - they seem very ill-matched.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The book is unsuitable for children.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Terrorism is totally unacceptable in a civilised world.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
not having the right qualities for a particular person, purpose, or situation SYN inappropriate: The book is unsuitable for children. Terrorism is totally unacceptable in a civilised world.· The museum's own commercial activities, always criticised as unsuitable for a prominent national institution, have not been very effective.
· However, the water was extremely rough and quite unsuitable for such a fragile craft.· Limestone and sandstone are quite unsuitable.· Most Victorian churches had disappeared - upkeep could not be justified as they were quite unsuitable for individual meditation.· The male mafia will close ranks and deem such a woman unstable, neurotic and quite unsuitable for responsibility.· She could have chosen a quite unsuitable family for you, and the social workers would have taken you away.· The former could include attractive packaging or promotional material, but this would be quite unsuitable for the consumer press.
· Not only are they moving away, but often they are also moving to a place totally unsuitable for elderly people.· Prisons, too, are forced to handle men with profound psychiatric problems in conditions which are totally unsuitable.· The room which houses the material is totally unsuitable for use as an Archive Research Room.· The properly of disabled owner-occupiers may be totally unsuitable for them.· If your car seems totally unsuitable for transporting the patient, you may have to exchange it for a different model.· They use it to eliminate those candidates they feel are totally unsuitable.· The most obvious solution was simply to cancel the operation as the weather was totally unsuitable for parachuting.· A new gown. Totally unsuitable.
unsuitable housingunsuitable for The book is unsuitable for children.THESAURUSunsuitable/not suitable not having the right qualities for a particular person, purpose, or situation: · These toys are not suitable for children under 3.· The job was considered unsuitable for women.· Some dogs end up in totally unsuitable homes.not appropriate/inappropriate not suitable for a particular situation or purpose – used especially about someone’s behaviour or language: · Slang is not appropriate in an academic essay.· Never reward inappropriate behaviour.· It would not be appropriate for us to comment at this stage.wrong not the right thing or person for a particular job or purpose: · You’re using the wrong spoon – this is the soup spoon.· She was simply the wrong person for the job.out of place [not before noun] not looking or seeming suitable for that place or situation: · The horse drawn carriage looks a little out of place among the busy traffic.· At first I felt a bit out of place.incompatible two ideas or things that are incompatible cannot exist or be done together. Two people who are incompatible are unlikely to have a successful relationship, because they have very different characters, beliefs etc: · He considered the role of wife and mother to be incompatible with a career.· Why do totally incompatible people get married?incongruous formal seeming strange and unsuitable, often in a humorous way, because of being unexpected in a particular situation or very different from its surroundings: · It seemed incongruous having a dance-band at the funeral.· He was dressed in a three-piece suit with an incongruous tie shaped like a fish.inconvenient an inconvenient place or time is not suitable and causes problems for you: · He always seems to call at inconvenient times.· The new station is inconvenient to pedestrians, because it is a long walk from the centre of town.unfit not suitable to be used for something, or not suitable to do something: · The boat is not only unfit to live in but is actually unsafe.· The meat was declared unfit for human consumption (=not suitable to eat).· He claims she is an unfit mother.· A jury decided Pryse-Jones was unfit to stand trial at court because of his mental illness.· The house was unfit for human habitation (=not suitable to live in).