individualised

IPA/ˌɪndɪvˈɪdʒuːəlˌaɪzd/
IPA/ˌɪndᵻvˈɪdʒuːəlˌaɪzd/

individualised — adjective

1. designed or adapted to fit the specific needs, preferences, or situation of a pa

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

designed or adapted to fit the specific needs, preferences, or situation of a particular person, instead of being the same for everyone

Example

Clara's swimming coach designed an individualised training programme to help her compete at the national level.

individualised + [training programme / plan / approach]

The hospital provides individualised care plans that change as each patient's condition improves or worsens.

individualised + [care / treatment / support]

Common collocations
  • individualised care
  • individualised treatment
  • individualised training programme
  • individualised learning plan
  • individualised approach
  • individualised attention
  • individualised feedback
  • individualised coaching
Synonyms
  • customised

    more common for products and services made to order

  • tailored

    suggests careful adjustment to fit specific needs

  • personalised

    focuses on reflecting the person's identity or preferences

  • bespoke

    more formal, usually for high-end custom products

Antonyms
  • standardised

    the opposite — made identical for everyone

  • uniform

    unchanging across all recipients

Grammar Patterns

individualised + [care / plan / training / approach]

Usage Note

Frequently modifies nouns that describe services, plans, or approaches that are adapted rather than standardised. Common in medical, educational, and personal-development contexts.

Common Mistakes

She gave each student individual attention.' (when meaning tailored).
She gave each student individualised attention.
'Individual' means separate or single; 'individualised' means adapted to suit that particular person.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four share the core idea of adapting something to fit a specific person, but they differ in scope and typical contexts. 'Individualised' is the broadest term, used in healthcare, education, and personal development ('individualised care plan'). 'Customised' is common for products and services that are made or modified to order ('customised software'). 'Tailored' suggests careful adjustment to precise needs, often used for services or advice ('tailored financial plan'). 'Personalised' focuses on reflecting the person's identity or preferences ('personalised gift'). 'Bespoke' is formal and usually describes luxury custom-made items ('bespoke suit'). A course can be individualised (adapted to a student's level); if you buy a customised phone case, you choose the design; if you receive personalised service, staff know your name and preferences; a bespoke wedding dress is made from scratch for the bride.

customisedtailored ↗personalised ↗bespoke ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • highly individualised
  • fully individualised
  • carefully individualised
  • completely individualised

Prepositions

  • individualised to
  • individualised for

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from the adjective 'individual' (from Latin 'individuus', meaning 'indivisible', from 'in-' 'not' + 'dividuus' 'divisible') plus the verb suffix '-ise' and the past-participle ending '-ed'. The notion of making something specific to one person developed from the 19th century onward.