fullness

American  

[fool-nis] / ˈfʊl nɪs /

Or fulness

noun

1. the quality or state of being filled completely or to utmost capacity.

   The fullness of our fruit baskets speaks of a magnificent harvest.

2. the quality or state of being filled or rounded out, as in form or shape.

   garments designed for a fullness of figure.

3. the state of having eaten enough, especially more than enough.

   I doubt you can get this sense of fullness from a diet of just salad.

4. the quality or condition of having ample width or folds of fabric.

   The fullness of the girls’ skirts helps us to approximate the date of the photo.

5. Music. the quality of possessing a richness or intensity of sound: a subtle lack of fullness in the opening passage.

   the fullness of the strings;

   a subtle lack of fullness in the opening passage.

6. (especially in wine, beer, or coffee) richness of body and flavor.

   Our merlot is prized for its color and fullness.

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Etymology

Origin of fullness

First recorded before 1000; Middle English fulnesse, Old English fullnis, fillnis; full ¹ ( def. ), -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

These medications reduce appetite, increase feelings of fullness, and help curb food cravings.

From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026

“In the fullness of time, they will drive each other and be one unified entity,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026

Ozempic is a medicine for Type 2 diabetes, which targets a gut hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and enhances feelings of fullness.

From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025

The profile described a man in the fullness of middle age, harvesting the benefits he had earned, drinking the best wines and single-malt scotch, driving appropriately luxurious but not ostentatious vehicles.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025

“In the fullness of time—maybe a hundred years—this should be your grave.”

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• completeness
• saturation
• totality
• wholeness