fledgling

noun

fledg·​ling ˈflej-liŋ 

often attributive

1

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

a female bird feeding her fledglings

2

: an immature or inexperienced person

fledgling medical students

3

: one that is new

a fledgling company

Synonyms

• 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

When Payzant left San Diego Unified in 1993 to become an assistant secretary in the fledgling Clinton administration’s Department of Education, the school board bypassed a national search and quickly appointed Pendleton his successor. —Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025

So, a fledgling unit of the service set out six months ago to unmask the layers of burner phones, changing phone numbers and SIM cards swatting American officials. —John Miller, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025

Even Jaylen Brown’s fledgling 741 brand and Chinese sportswear company Qiaodan, which infamously had a lengthy legal tangle with Jordan Brand in the 2010s, are featured. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025

Many legends who were part of the WNBA’s early years—the league debuted in 1997—have shared stories about how the fledgling brand stuffed star players into narrow feminine molds that sometimes felt contrived. —Timeka Tounsel, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 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