chock-full

American  

[chok-fool, chuhk-] / ˈtʃɒkˈfʊl, ˈtʃʌk- /

Also chock-ful,

adjective

1. full to the limit; crammed.

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chock-full British  

adjective

1. (postpositive) completely full

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Etymology

Origin of chock-full

1350–1400; Middle English chokke-fulle, equivalent to chokke (< ?) + fulle full ¹

Explanation

Things that are chock-full are crowded or packed. If your neighborhood roller skating rink is chock-full of kids, there's not much room for more skaters. If your freezer is chock-full of ice cream sandwiches, there's no extra space for your ice cube trays, and if your house is chock-full of sweaty football players, you might want to open a window to air the place out. The adjective chock-full sounds modern, but it's been around since about 1400, originally as chokkeful, which may be rooted in choke, or "cheek."

Example Sentences

This week is chock-full of employment data that should help investors and policymakers alike gauge the general state of employment, all before Friday’s big jobs report.

From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026

The typical Arcadia volume is chock-full of vintage photographs and tends to be less text-focused; History Press, as with the other imprints Arcadia has scooped up over time, allows authors to actually write more.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2025

This has been a season chock-full of stunning, come-from-behind victories and the hapless New York Jets just proved that anybody is capable of pulling off a shock these days.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

But its campus, chock-full of hidden symbolism, has a long history.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2025

Now it’s chock-full: Toronto’s bloating itself to death, that much is clear.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood