Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To make personal or more personal: To design, adapt, or modify something to suit a particular person's needs, preferences, or characteristics.
   • To make, mark, or treat as individual: To distinguish or characterize something as distinct and separate from others; to give something its own unique identity.

Usage and Examples

• To make personal or more personal:

  • The company aims to individualise its customer service. (The company aims to tailor its service to each specific customer.)
  • Teachers can individualise lesson plans for students with different learning styles. (Teachers can adapt lesson plans to suit each student's unique way of learning.)

• To make, mark, or treat as individual:

  • The artist sought to individualise each character in the mural with unique details. (The artist aimed to give each character its own distinct features.)
  • Advanced software can individualise security settings for each user account. (Advanced software can create distinct security settings for every single account.)

Advanced Usage

• In data and technology: Often used to describe the process of customizing user experiences, products, or content based on individual data or behavior.
  • The algorithm individualises news feeds based on your reading history.
• In psychology and education: Refers to the approach of focusing on the unique qualities and needs of a single person.
  • The therapy program is individualised to address each client's specific goals.

Variants and Related Words

• Individualize (verb): The preferred spelling in American English. It has the same meaning as 'individualise'.
• Individualisation / Individualization (noun): The process or result of making something individual or personal.
  • The individualisation of learning is a key trend in modern education.
• Individualised / Individualized (adjective): Describing something that has been made personal or specific.
  • She received an individualised training program.

Synonyms

• Personalize: To design or tailor for an individual.
• Customize: To modify to suit a person's requirements.
• Tailor: To make or adapt for a particular purpose or person.
• Differentiate: To recognize or identify as different; to distinguish.

Antonyms

• Generalize: To make a broad statement or apply a rule widely.
• Standardize: To make things uniform or consistent according to a standard.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Individualised attention: Special focus given to a single person's needs.
  • The tutor provides individualised attention to each student.
• Individualised approach: A method or strategy designed for a specific individual.
  • A successful fitness plan requires an individualised approach.

Verb

1. make personal or more personal
   • personalized service
2. make or mark or treat as individual
   • The sounds were individualized by sharpness and tone