Disfitting

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Causing someone to feel uneasy or embarrassed; defeating or overwhelming in contest or conflict; creating a state of confusion or discomfort
2. Bringing about discomfort or anxiety through surprise or defeat; embarrassing or confounding someone; overwhelming an opponent in disagreement or competition
3. Producing a sense of awkwardness or unease; to overcome or beat decisively; to cause perplexity or distress in an adversary

Etymology: Formed from the prefix "dis-", which reverses or negates a sense, and "fitting," the present participle of "fit." The literal sense is "not fitting" or "unsuitable," and the more specific meaning here, awkward discomfort, grows from that: something that does not sit right with a situation or a person. The base verb "fit" has a murkier past. It is recorded in Middle English, but its origins are uncertain, and the "suitable" sense is not the same as the older "fit" meaning a division of a poem or song. Because "disfitting" is built from common parts, its history is mainly the history of those parts.

Synonyms: disconcerting, unsettling, disturbing, embarrassing

Antonyms: comforting, reassuring, pleasing