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
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
Research in economics and political science tends to back up this view, although tariffs have never disappeared as a policy tool, particularly for developing countries with limited sources of tax revenue and the desire to protect their fledgling industries from imports.
—
Kent Jones, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
Research in economics and political science tends to back up this view, although tariffs have never disappeared as a policy tool, particularly for developing countries with limited sources of tax revenue and the desire to protect their fledgling industries from imports.
—Kent Jones, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025
Richemont executives were smitten with the vivid storytelling behind a fledgling leather goods line by Manon Marcelot, who draws inspiration from her rustic upbringing in rural France among cattle breeders.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Dec. 2025
Changing their name to the Mar-Keys, the outfit became the fledgling label’s first house band.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fledgling
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Kent Jones, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
Research in economics and political science tends to back up this view, although tariffs have never disappeared as a policy tool, particularly for developing countries with limited sources of tax revenue and the desire to protect their fledgling industries from imports.
—Kent Jones, The Conversation, 11 Dec. 2025
Richemont executives were smitten with the vivid storytelling behind a fledgling leather goods line by Manon Marcelot, who draws inspiration from her rustic upbringing in rural France among cattle breeders.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Dec. 2025
Changing their name to the Mar-Keys, the outfit became the fledgling label’s first house band.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fledgling
Cite this Entry
“Fledgling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fledgling. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fledgling
noun
fledg·ling
ˈflej-liŋ 
1
: a young bird just fledged
2
: an immature or inexperienced person
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