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Showing results for fledgling. Search instead for fledg(e)ling.
Synonyms

fledgling

American  
[flej-ling] / ˈflɛdʒ lɪŋ /
especially British, fledgeling

noun

  1. a young bird just fledged.

  2. an inexperienced person.

    Synonyms:
    greenhorn, freshman, beginner, tyro, novice

adjective

  1. young, new, or inexperienced.

    a fledgling diver.
fledgling British  
/ ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ /

noun

  1. a young bird that has just fledged

    1. a young and inexperienced or untried person, organization or system

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
fledgling Scientific  
/ flĕj′lĭng /

  1. A young bird that has just grown the feathers needed to fly and is capable of surviving outside the nest.

Etymology

Origin of fledgling

First recorded in 1820–30; fledge + -ling 1

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.

He reached the upper echelons of the military establishment in the late 1990s when he became commander of the Guards' fledgling aerospace forces.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

Hall, who has won two caps for his country, has yet to earn a call-up under Thomas Tuchel following an injury-disrupted period in his fledgling career.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Driven by Watt's marketing genius, the fledgling company pulled stunt after attention-seeking stunt, each crazier than the last, and they were rarely out of the news.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Meanwhile, Lucas was pushing Coppola to do a studio film for hire to keep his fledgling Zoetrope Studio afloat, making Coppola feel pressured to sell out.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

His first ggeh was formed from a couple dozen storekeepers who knew each other through a fledgling Korean-American business association.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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.