fledgling

noun

fledg·​ling ˈflej-liŋ 

often attributive

1

: a young bird just fledged (see fledge sense 1)

a bird feeding her fledglings

2

: an immature or inexperienced person

fledgling medical students

3

: one that is new

a fledgling company

Synonyms of fledgling

• novice
• newcomer
• beginner
• apprentice
• freshman
• rookie

Examples of fledgling in a Sentence

a female bird feeding her fledglings

at hockey he's still a fledgling and needs to work on his basic skating skills

Recent Examples on the Web

The days of selling their belongings to fund their fledgling business was long behind them. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Dec. 2025

The screenplay begins in 1989, charting Christy’s trajectory as a hotheaded yet gifted fledgling boxer. —Robert Lang, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2025

His teachings showed the fledgling activist how to analyze Black people’s social conditions and gave her the desire to unify Black people everywhere. —Dara T. Mathis, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025

Standing next to Steve Jobs on a stage in Cupertino, Iger said that Disney would begin selling digital downloads of a handful of ABC and Disney Channel shows via Apple’s fledgling iTunes Store, including episodes that had premiered on TV just hours before. —Josef Adalian, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fledgling

noun

fledg·​ling ˈflej-liŋ 

1

: a young bird just fledged

2

: an immature or inexperienced person