tailor
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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to make by tailor's work.
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to fashion or adapt to a particular taste, purpose, need, etc..
to tailor one's actions to those of another.
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to fit or furnish with clothing.
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Chiefly U.S. Military. to make (a uniform) to order; cut (a ready-made uniform) so as to cause to fit more snugly; taper.
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
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a person who makes, repairs, or alters outer garments, esp menswear
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a voracious and active marine food fish, Pomatomus saltator, of Australia with scissor-like teeth
verb
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to cut or style (material, clothes, etc) to satisfy certain requirements
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(tr) to adapt so as to make suitable for something specific
he tailored his speech to suit a younger audience
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(intr) to follow the occupation of a tailor
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tailorsimple
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tailorssimple
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have tailoredperfect
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has tailoredperfect
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am tailoringprogressive
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are tailoringprogressive
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is tailoringprogressive
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have been tailoringperfect progressive
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has been tailoringperfect progressive
Past
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tailoredsimple
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had tailoredperfect
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was tailoringprogressive
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were tailoringprogressive
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had been tailoringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tailor1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun), from Anglo-French tailour, Old French tailleor, from taill(ier) “to cut” (from Late Latin tāliāre, derivative of Latin tālea “rod, cutting,” literally, “heel-piece”; see tally) + -or -or 2
Origin of tailor2
Alteration by folk etymology of teller
Explanation
A tailor helps make your clothes fit you better. Similarly, when you tailor something to the needs of others, you are adjusting what you do to best suit them rather than taking a general approach. The word tailor comes from the Latin taliare, meaning "to cut." A tailor is someone who cuts and adjusts your clothing to better fit. When you tailor a jacket, you have it taken in to better suit your physique. But tailor isn't used strictly in reference to clothing. For example, a restaurant might tailor an order for a vegetarian by getting rid of the meat in a portion. A teacher might tailor a lesson plan to the demands of her ESL students.
Vocabulary lists containing tailor
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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.
See Examples For:
He is a tailor in Nigeria who designed and made the suit Ehis wore for his ceremony.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
One project uses AI analysis of anonymised mobile phone data to spot mass-population movements during disasters, determining where people are fleeing, to help humanitarians better tailor their response.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
This gives the AI chatbot up-to-date information on the financial accounts you choose to link to it, so it can tailor its guidance to adapt as you spend, save and invest.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
The pair visited Gammarelli, then the official tailor of the papacy, where he purchased an ankle-length black cassock, usually worn by priests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Esteban walked quickly with his big strides, practically dragging Clara behind him, without noticing the dirty water that was spattering his impeccable gray trousers from the English tailor.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
They created ready-to-wear suits, opened retail stores and created a reputation for unparalleled craftsmanship at a far lower price point than the tailors of Savile Row.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
As a part of the pathway, Johnson tailors classroom support to help her students who want to further their careers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
The supply chain goes beyond retailers like Sekky and includes importers, wholesalers, tailors who mend damaged mitumba and those who sell food and drink at the markets.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
The lack of tailors and sewers has also been a blow to reviving apparel manufacturing in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
They were tailors and dressmakers, hat and cap makers, and furriers and tanners.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
It is 4% for the nonstandard earnings metric that is tailored to match Oracle’s long-term guidance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"Generative AI enables disinformation to be created at unprecedented scale, tailored to specific audiences, and disseminated with remarkable speed," an EU official said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
This strengthens the argument for diagnostic and treatment strategies tailored more closely to each individual.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
“This estate-planning tool is designed to benefit the entire family and can be tailored to include only certain assets, or only a portion of a particular asset that would otherwise be received.”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
She wears a tailored blue suit with a white ruffled blouse and low heels and a pretty pin at her neck.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
Jesús Sosa Guerra, who recently opened a tailoring business inside the swap meet, said he supports the proposal but worries existing tenants could be displaced.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
While the first two seasons often presented Lestat through structured tailoring and muted palettes, Season 3 arrives in a much louder world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
It can however adjust how it oversees small- to midsize banks tailoring without congressional approval, Tamayo says, “and we think this is increasingly likely.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
These agencies can "commission" specific programmes, tailoring them to suit the demands of students they are recruiting.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
“And no amount of blood, sweat, or fine tailoring will ever change that.”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
