fledge

verb

ˈflej 

fledged; fledging

intransitive verb

of a young bird : to acquire the feathers necessary for flight or independent activity

also : to leave the nest after acquiring such feathers

transitive verb

1

: to rear until ready for flight or independent activity

2

: to cover with or as if with feathers or down

3

: to furnish (something) with feathers

fledge an arrow

Examples of fledge in a Sentence

The young birds haven't yet fledged.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Chicago Park District has signed off on a habitat expansion of the Montrose dunes natural area, part of the beach where a pair of endangered Great Lakes piping plovers escaped a music festival, lost a clutch of eggs, fought off other birds and successfully fledged chicks two summers in a row. —Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

Over the course of his 12-year tenure in the position, Silver brought the league back from what many fans initially saw as a fledging sport struggling to keep up with the growing viewership of the NFL and MLB. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026

The young birds are expected to remain there for about 10 to 14 weeks before fledging as their older siblings, Sunny and Gizmo, did in 2025. —Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026

And it was made by a fledging firm called Pan American Airways. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

fledge capable of flying, from Middle English flegge, from Old English -flycge; akin to Old High German flucki capable of flying, Old English flēogan to fly — more at fly

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for fledge

• dredge
• edge
• hedge
• ledge
• pledge
• sedge
• sledge
• wedge
• allege
• straightedge

Kids Definition

fledge

verb

ˈflej 

fledged; fledging

1

: to develop the feathers necessary for flying

also : to leave the nest after developing such feathers

2

: to provide with feathers

fledge an arrow