full
1 Americanadjective
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fuller,
comparative
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fullest
superlative
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completely filled; containing all that can be held; filled to utmost capacity.
a full cup.
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unable to consume more food or drink; physically satisfied by what one has eaten or drunk.
too full to eat another bite;
feeling full after a big breakfast.
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a full supply of food for a three-day hike.
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of the maximum size, amount, extent, volume, etc..
a full load of five tons;
to receive full pay.
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(of garments, drapery, etc.) wide, ample, or having ample folds.
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abundant; well-supplied.
a yard full of litter;
a cabinet full of medicine.
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filled or rounded out, as in form.
a full figure.
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engrossed; occupied (usually followed byof ).
She was full of her own anxieties.
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of the same parents.
They are full brothers, but have a much younger half sister.
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Music. ample and complete in volume or richness of sound.
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(especially of wine, beer, or coffee) having considerable body and flavor.
It's a lovely brew, exceptionally dark and full.
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Baseball.
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(of the count on a batter) amounting to three balls and two strikes.
He hit a slider for a homer on a full count.
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(of the bases) having base runners at each; loaded.
The bases were full and nobody was out.
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being slightly oversized, as a sheet of glass cut too large to fit into a frame.
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Poker. of or relating to the three cards of the same denomination in a full house.
He won the hand with a pair of kings and sixes full.
adverb
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exactly or directly.
The blow struck him full in the face.
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very.
You know full well what I mean.
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fully, completely, or entirely; quite; at least.
The blow knocked him full around.
It happened full 30 years ago.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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the highest or fullest state, condition, or degree.
The moon is at the full.
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Baseball. a full count.
Yellich has taken it to full in all four of his at-bats.
idioms
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in full,
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to or for the full or required amount.
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without abridgment.
The book was reprinted in full.
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to the full, to the greatest extent; thoroughly.
They enjoyed themselves to the full.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
adjective
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holding or containing as much as possible; filled to capacity or near capacity
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abundant in supply, quantity, number, etc
full of energy
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having consumed enough food or drink
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(esp of the face or figure) rounded or plump; not thin
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(prenominal) with no part lacking; complete
a full dozen
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(prenominal) with all privileges, rights, etc; not restricted
a full member
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(prenominal) of, relating to, or designating a relationship established by descent from the same parents
full brother
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filled with emotion or sentiment
a full heart
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occupied or engrossed (with)
full of his own projects
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music
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powerful or rich in volume and sound
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completing a piece or section; concluding
a full close
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(of a garment, esp a skirt) containing a large amount of fabric; of ample cut
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(of sails, etc) distended by wind
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(of wine, such as a burgundy) having a heavy body
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(of a colour) containing a large quantity of pure hue as opposed to white or grey; rich; saturated
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informal drunk
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nautical another term for close-hauled
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full of pride or conceit; egoistic
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filled to capacity
the cinema was full up
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(esp of a pack of hounds) in hot pursuit of quarry
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at the height of activity
the party was in full swing
adverb
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completely; entirely
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( in combination )
full-grown
full-fledged
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exactly; directly; right
he hit him full in the stomach
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very; extremely (esp in the phrase full well )
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with maximum effort or speed
noun
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the greatest degree, extent, etc
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a ridge of sand or shingle along a seashore
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without omitting, decreasing, or shortening
we paid in full for our mistake
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to the greatest extent; thoroughly; fully
verb
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(tr) needlework to gather or tuck
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(intr) (of the moon) to be fully illuminated
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of full1
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English full, ful; cognate with Gothic fulls, Old Norse fullr, Old High German foll ( German voll ); akin to Latin plēnus, Greek plḗrēs, Slavic ( Polish ) peƚny, Lithuanian pìlnas, Sanskrit pūrṇa-
Origin of full2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fullen; back formation from fuller 1
Explanation
Something that's full holds as much as it can. If your glass is full of root beer, it's up the brim — no more root beer will fit inside it. When a trash bag is full, it's time to take it outside, and when your mouth is full of cake, you'd better swallow it before you take another bite. When you're full of pizza, you can't eat any more, but when you're full of self-confidence, you have plenty of that quality. When the moon is full, it appears as large and round as possible. When your skirt, hair, or body are full, they're wide or ample.
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.
See Examples For:
"I live in a house that used to be full," he said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
Agents' full names and addresses, as well as references to medical issues including "blood in the urine" and "high cholesterol" are now in the criminals' hands.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Still, while European Union officials say gas supplies to the region remain stable, storage levels are only about 70% full, leaving the market highly sensitive to potential disruptions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
It also means that over long terms, particularly the full life of the bond, you are taking on inflation risk.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
Dr. Harlow tells himself that a man who was so badly hurt is going to need time to regain his full powers.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
"A fuller understanding of brain aging requires research that reflects the world's social, cultural, and geographic diversity," said Arthur W. Toga, PhD, director of the Stevens INI and Provost Professor at USC.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
But the market is all but demanding that he give a fuller explanation of where he thinks the economy stands, and provide some assurance that the Fed will raise rates if it must.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
They made the circle fuller, Los Panchos having been a major influence on Johnny Polanco.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
This suppresses appetite and keeps people feeling fuller for longer, helping them to lose weight.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
For Theo life is much fuller with Vincent next to him.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
"I'll be forever grateful to my donor and the family for what they've given me. They've given me the gift of life and the opportunity to live my life to the fullest."
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
However, helmets aren’t protective equipment in the fullest sense.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Make the first 10 to 12 years of retirement “the richest, fullest, most intentional years of your life,” he advised.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026
“Any bad faith attempts to influence elections should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
His long red body, stretched to its fullest length, seemed to float in the air as he sailed over it.
From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls
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.
