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
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
Cite this Entry
“One-size-fits-all.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-size-fits-all. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.
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