bespoke

adjective

be·​spoke bi-ˈspōk 

bē-

variants or less commonly bespoken

bi-ˈspō-kən 

bē-

1

a

: custom-made

a bespoke suit

b

: dealing in or producing custom-made articles

a bespoke tailor

2

dialect : engaged

Did you know?

In the English language of yore, the verb bespeak had various meanings, including “to speak,” “to accuse,” and “to complain.” In the 16th century, bespeak acquired another meaning: “to order or arrange in advance.” It is from that sense that we get the adjective bespoke, referring to clothes and other things that are ordered before they are made. Bespoke has enjoyed a spike in usage in recent years, perhaps due to consumer trends that champion all things artisanal over those that are prefab.

Synonyms

• custom
• customized
• specialized

Examples of bespoke in a Sentence

a wealthy man who can easily afford bespoke suits

Recent Examples on the Web

Apex Wants To Bring Henry Ford-Style Mass Production To Satellites Satellite manufacturing has long been a bespoke business with spacecraft customized for the missions they are sent on. —Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

James Folta recommends another bespoke artistic experience. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 15 Aug. 2025

Along with a lounge focused on small plates and bespoke cocktails, The Mill will include a speakeasy-style establishment designed to be a local watering hole. —Katy Spratte Joyce, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025

Pitch: More than a film, this is a resurrection: a documentary narrative fused with a bespoke AI agent built from the writings and gestures of Ljubomir Micić. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

past participle of bespeak

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for bespoke

• awoke
• baroque
• colloque
• convoke
• evoke
• invoke
• keystroke
• kinfolk
• kinsfolk
• menfolk
• provoke
• revoke

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