"tailored for" vs. "tailored to" (2025)

Hello,

Which form would sound better to a native's ear between:
the system has been tailored for (this application)
and
the system has been tailored to (this application)
?

A google fight gives millions of results for both.

Thanks!

I prefer 'tailored to'. The Oxford English Dictionary gives several sample sentences to illustrate this use of the verb 'to tailor'. The closest to your sentence is this:

'Of course, the story of ‘Hiroshima Pilot as Mental Patient’ was at once tailored to fit the headlines.'

They also give this:

'To secure maximum performance the apparatus should be ‘tailored’ for each application.'

So, either way is acceptable as far as I can see, but 'tailored to' sounds a little more natural.

Thank you for your precious insight, Adimine.

I was leaning more towards tailored to as well but will now refine my initial context, just in case: the system has been tailored to/for? the needs of (the application).

Would you still say that both forms are acceptable here?

Spira said:

It's not a question of choosing between TO and FOR; each has a separate meaning.
My suit was tailored to my measurements.
My suit was tailored for the gala evening.

Click to expand...

I'm not so sure I'd agree with your level of certainty here!
In any case, what do you advise for the actual question posed?

suzi br said:

I'm not so sure I'd agree with your level of certainty here!
In any case, what do you advise for the actual question posed?

Click to expand...

We have not got enough context to tell.

eg this application has been tailored for the students in the system
this application has been tailored to the needs of the system.

Sorry, I had to inverse application and system, as usually the importance of a system outweighs a single application.

Spira said:

Sorry, I had to inverse application and system, as usually the importance of a system outweighs a single application.

Click to expand...

In this case, if the system is the object of 'tailored', would that not suggest that the system is subordinate to the application?

-Thanks for grammar correction Spira-

Adimine said:

In this case, if the system is the object of 'tailored', would that not suggest that the system is subordinate to the application?

Click to expand...

Well it's not exactly the object, it's actually the subject of the passive verb HAS BEEN TAILORED.
But if you mean that the system being tailored makes it subordinate to the application, then yes, and I couldn't quite come to terms with that in my examples. Sorry.

I would vote for 'for' for Spira.

Without any contexts provided, 'to' sounds too presupmtous.

(Because the tense used was present perfect, which allows me not to think of what has been said before)