full-scale
Americanadjective
-
having the exact size or proportions of the original.
a full-scale replica.
-
using all possible means, facilities, etc.; complete.
The factory will commence full-scale operation next month.
noun
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(of a plan, etc) of actual size; having the same dimensions as the original
-
done with thoroughness or urgency; using all resources; all-out
Etymology
Origin of full-scale
First recorded in 1930–35
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This disagreement is rooted in the inconclusive nature of the full-scale phase of the conflict that lasted for 40 days between February and April.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
Since then, several technical studies and two test trips with a full-scale reproduction of the tapestry have been undertaken to meet the logistical challenge of transporting a work as delicate as lace.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
They square the circle of Swift masterminding a full-scale trolling of media and fans while simultaneously hosting a cotton-candy celebrity circus.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Over the last decade-plus, the art collective has grown beyond its anything-goes, punk-meets-psychedelic roots into an organization with full-scale, maximalist installations in its hometown, Denver, Las Vegas, Houston and the Dallas suburbs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
I have nothing against a well-defined mutant or full-scale alien invasion—that's good technology.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
