one-size-fits-all

American

[wuhn-sahyz-fits-awl] / ˈwʌnˈsaɪzˌfɪtsˈɔl /

adjective

(of clothing) designed to fit people of a wide range of sizes.
Informal. acceptable or used for a wide variety of purposes or circumstances; appealing or suitable to a variety of tastes.

one-size-fits-all British

adjective

relating to policies or approaches that are standard and not tailored to individual needs

"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

Etymology

Origin of one-size-fits-all

First recorded in 1905–10

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.

The airline for years stuck with a one-size-fits-all approach that fell out of sync with competitors, which dove deeper into tiered fares and charging for different services as a way to drum up more profits.

From MarketWatch

For Big Food, the one-size-fits-all era is over.

From The Wall Street Journal

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the reforms will help end the "one-size-fits-all system" which she says has "denied" children from disadvantaged backgrounds the same success as their peers.

From BBC

Sleep shame is driven by the idea that there’s a one-size-fits-all approach, experts say.

From The Wall Street Journal

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to reducing or creating a boundary with your digital life.

From Los Angeles Times

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