customize

American

[kuhs-tuh-mahyz] / ˈkʌs təˌmaɪz /

especially British, customise

verb (used with object)

customized, customizing

to modify or build according to individual or personal specifications or preference.

to customize an automobile.

customize British

/ ˈkʌstəˌmaɪz /

verb

(tr) to modify (something) according to a customer's individual requirements

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of customize

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35; custom + -ize

Explanation

To customize something is to make it exactly how you want it. If you put stickers all over your plain old notebook, you customize it. If you see the word customer in customize, you’re onto something — to customize is to make something to a customer’s specifications. When clothes are customized — or tailored — they’re made with you in mind, specifically. A customized suit should fit perfectly. If you customize your car, it could be bright pink with eyelashes on the headlights. Or not.

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Vocabulary lists containing customize

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ize

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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.

“JetBlue offers a range of fare options so customers can customize the experience that best fits their needs,” a JetBlue spokesperson said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

All Slate trucks are identical when they roll off the factory line, but their owners can customize them later at their own expense.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

From the VPN Mode settings menu, you can customize whether or not the VPN gets enabled automatically and in what circumstances.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

Tech leaders say open models are easier to customize, cheaper to run, and security risks are manageable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

“The default setting is typically ‘help,’ but you can customize as the situation allows.”

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023