Phrasal verb
cater to
Definition
phrasal verb. to provide exactly what a person or group needs or wants.
phrasal verb. to provide what is required or desired by a specific group or individual; often used in commercial or service contexts to indicate target audience focus.
Examples
“This hotel caters to families with young children.”
“The new streaming service caters to fans of classic cinema by offering rare films from the 1940s.”
“While the primary curriculum caters to the average learner, specialized programs are necessary to support students with diverse educational requirements.”
Examples
simple
“This hotel caters to families with young children.”
contextual
“The new streaming service caters to fans of classic cinema by offering rare films from the 1940s.”
complex
“While the primary curriculum caters to the average learner, specialized programs are necessary to support students with diverse educational requirements.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun phrase representing a specific demographic or set of needs.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'cater for' (common in British English for providing food/services); 'cater to' often implies satisfying a specific taste or even a weakness.
Pitfall
The shop caters for all my needs.
The shop caters to all my needs.
while 'cater for' is common in British English for logistics, 'cater to' is the standard phrasal verb for meeting specific desires or demands.
Phrasal verb
Particles
to
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
cater + to + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cater-to