tailor-made

"Tailor-made" is a vivid and useful adjective (and sometimes verb phrase) in English. It has two closely related meanings — one literal and one figurative — and the figurative one is by far the most common in everyday speech.

1adjectivecustom-made clothing

A tailor is a person who makes or adjusts clothes by hand, specifically for one person's body. So 'tailor-made' literally means a piece of clothing that was cut and sewn especially for YOU — not bought off a shelf, but made to fit your exact measurements. Think of a perfectly fitted suit made just for one person.

fashion, clothing · Traditional; still used today, especially in formal contexts

He wore a tailor-made suit to the wedding, and it fit him perfectly.

She ordered a tailor-made dress for the ceremony instead of buying one from a shop.

Tailor-made clothes are more expensive, but they fit much better than standard sizes.

2adjectivefigurativeperfectly suited for something or someone

This is the meaning you will hear most often. When something is 'tailor-made' for a person or situation, it means it fits so perfectly that it seems like it was designed specifically for that purpose — just like a custom suit fits one person's body. You can use it for jobs, roles, plans, solutions, or opportunities.

everyday language, business, education · Modern, widely used · figurative

This job is tailor-made for her — she has exactly the right skills and experience.

The training program was tailor-made to meet the needs of new employees.

It feels like this role was tailor-made for him; he loves every part of it.