one-size-fits-all
adjective
1
: designed to conform to all shapes and sizes
one-size-fits-all T-shirts
One-size-fits-all gloves by Nolan Glove have gripper palms that are perfect for holding on …—
Andrea Skinner
Andrea SkinnerIf you are small of ear, you may find that those one-size-fits-all earbuds simply don't fit.—David Pogue
David Pogue2
: covering, used for, or applying to all cases or individuals without modification
This past spring, The New England Journal of Medicine published a series of articles by well-known geneticists who expressed frustration and disappointment at their inability to hit upon a one-size-fits-all genetic explanation for common diseases, which had seemed within their grasp only a few years ago.—Matthew Stremlau
Matthew StremlauLevine says the old, one-size-fits-all approach allows too many youngsters to fall through the cracks—kids who may be perfectly intelligent but struggle in school.—Barbara Kantrowitz et al.
Barbara Kantrowitz et al.Skeptics worry that patients are too varied and doctors too accustomed to providing unlimited care for a one-size-fits-all payment policy.—Catherine Arnst
Catherine ArnstWhere once there was the one-size-fits-all fixed-rate 30-year mortgage, now there is a bewildering assortment of home-financing arrangements …—Consumer Reports
Consumer ReportsExamples of one-size-fits-all in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Choosing the best moisturizer isn't a one-size-fits-all process.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
More difficult, more interesting So far, the main takeaway from our experiments has been that dolphin communication is complex and that there are not going to be one-size-fits-all responses to any non-signature whistle type.
—Laela Sayigh, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026
There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Picking a date for the sale is not an exact science, and definitely not one-size-fits-all.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for one-size-fits-all
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Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
More difficult, more interesting So far, the main takeaway from our experiments has been that dolphin communication is complex and that there are not going to be one-size-fits-all responses to any non-signature whistle type.
—Laela Sayigh, The Conversation, 23 Mar. 2026
There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Picking a date for the sale is not an exact science, and definitely not one-size-fits-all.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for one-size-fits-all
Cite this Entry
“One-size-fits-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-size-fits-all. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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