one-size-fits-all

adjective

ˈwən-ˈsīz-ˈfits-ˈȯl 

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

If you are small of ear, you may find that those one-size-fits-all earbuds simply don't fit.

—David Pogue

2

: 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

Levine 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.

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

Where 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

Examples of one-size-fits-all in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That’s not to say period tracking is a bad idea – only that athletes should beware of one-size-fits-all advice on how women perform during certain phases of the cycle. —Susan Lacke, Outside Online, 2 Feb. 2025

While there's no one-size-fits-all list of foods to avoid for heartburn relief, several common culprits exist. —Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Ld, Health, 2 Feb. 2025

Yet the practice has faced resistance, with some critics arguing that fluoridation imposes a one-size-fits-all public-health measure that disregards individual choice. —David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025

Beware of clinics that skip consultations or offer generic, one-size-fits-all plans. —William Jones, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1