tailor-made
Americanadjective
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custom-made; made-to-order; made-to-measure.
an expensive tailor-made suit.
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fashioned to a particular taste, purpose, demand, etc..
a musical comedy tailor-made for the popular audience.
noun
adjective
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made by a tailor to fit exactly
a tailor-made suit
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perfectly meeting a particular purpose
a girl tailor-made for him
noun
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a tailor-made garment
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slang a cigarette made in a factory rather than rolled by hand
Usage
What does tailor-made mean? Tailor-made means made to fit the needs or specifications of a particular situation, object, or person—or seeming as though it was made that way. In its most literal sense, tailor-made is used to describe a piece of clothing made by a tailor, especially a suit. A tailor-made garment like this is made specifically to the measurements of the person that it’s for so that it fits them perfectly. This means that it’s one of a kind, as opposed to clothes that are produced in general sizes (often described as ready-to-wear or off-the-rack). But describing something as tailor-made doesn’t necessarily mean it was made by a tailor. Things other than clothing can be tailor-made. In many cases, it’s simply another way of saying it was custom-made—made to unique specifications. Sometimes, the term is used to describe something as seemingly a perfect fit for a person or a situation, even though that thing has not been made specifically for them or even made at all, as in Today’s weather is tailor-made for this hike. Tailor-made can also be used as the past tense of the verb tailor-make, meaning to make in a way that fits a specific situation, as in They didn’t have the replacement part I needed, so I tailor-made one. Less commonly, tailor-made can be used as a noun referring to a tailor-made item, as in Here is my collection of tailor-mades. Example: Each student will follow a tailor-made curriculum that’s designed to meet their individual needs.
Etymology
Origin of tailor-made
First recorded in 1825–35
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.
Conditions were tailor made for the quick bowlers with the green-tinged wicket complemented by heavy cloud cover.
From Barron's • Dec. 1, 2025
But supply chains are not precisely planned, they evolve organically and these components are often tailor made for autos, Mr Nunlist of Trivium China said.
From BBC • Nov. 10, 2025
Linebacker Willie Gay said the hard, hot practice was tailor made for Reid.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2023
He also commits to the “Mr. Robot” themes of paranoia and manipulation, for which the Skrulls, with their ability to assume the form of any convenient human, are tailor made.
From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2023
“Buying tailor made uniforms for the Misses Blickens?” says I. “Tailor made nothing!” says Sadie.
From Odd Numbers Being Further Chronicles of Shorty McCabe by Ford, Sewell
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.
