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.” 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.
Examples of bespeak in a Sentence
Verb
Her newest album bespeaks a great talent for writing songs.
bespoke the rental car weeks in advance of their trip
Adjective
a wealthy man who can easily afford bespoke suits
Recent Examples on the Web
Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
Trump’s outbursts bespoke the frustration of a thoroughly incompetent ruler who began a war with no plan for how to conduct or conclude it and was unprepared for Iran’s resistance.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
Every detail is bespoke, from a metal transom hand-painted like wood to the passerelle that doubles as a private swim ladder.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bespeak
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Verb
Art What to call objects that bespeak both the three-dimensionality of sculpture and the surface drama of painting?
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
Trump’s outbursts bespoke the frustration of a thoroughly incompetent ruler who began a war with no plan for how to conduct or conclude it and was unprepared for Iran’s resistance.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Rather than resign herself to the standard white IKEA cabinetry that came with the rental, Gibbon transformed the space with bespoke ceramic tiles.
—Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 12 June 2026
Every detail is bespoke, from a metal transom hand-painted like wood to the passerelle that doubles as a private swim ladder.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bespeak
Cite this Entry
“Bespeak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bespeak. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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