full-fledged
Americanadjective
-
of full rank or standing.
a full-fledged professor.
-
fully developed.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of full-fledged
First recorded in 1880–85
Explanation
Something that's full-fledged is completely developed, or fully qualified. A full-fledged meal, as far as your mom's concerned, might include meat, potatoes, and a vegetable. Things that are whole or complete are full-fledged — a full-fledged case of the flu isn't just a few sniffles and coughs, but requires you to lie in bed with a fever for several days. A full-fledged war involves two countries with a conflict deep enough to inspire violent clashes on both sides. The fledge part of full-fledged comes from the Old English -flycge, "having the feathers" or "fit to fly."
Vocabulary lists containing full-fledged
Where the Red Fern Grows
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Idioms and Expressions, List 4
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Speak
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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.
She was also “at least temporarily,” in her words, “a full-fledged movie star,” she wrote in her autobiography “Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Crocs is introducing its first full-fledged advertising mascot, a six-foot crocodile named Niles, the WSJ Leadership Institute’s Patrick Coffee reports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
But some analysts see signs that the data center boom is starting to broaden out into a full-fledged U.S. manufacturing renaissance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
As a single mother in Los Angeles, she had to take her young children around with her while her work evolved into a full-fledged nonprofit called Miry’s List.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Some phrases beginning with full are hyphenated: full-blooded, full-blown, full- bodied, full-bore, full-fledged, full-scale, full-service, full-size, full-time, and so on.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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.
