full

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adjective

ˈfu̇l

also ˈfəl

Synonyms of full next

: containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

a full hamper

—often used with of

a bin full of corn

: complete especially in detail, number, or duration

a full report

gone a full hour

my full share

: lacking restraint, check, or qualification

full retreat

full support

: having all distinguishing characteristics : enjoying all authorized rights and privileges

full member

full professor

: not lacking in any essential : perfect

in full control of your senses

e(1)

: completely occupied by runners

came to bat with the bases full

(2)

: having three balls and two strikes

a full count

: being at the highest or greatest degree : maximum

full speed

full strength

: being at the height of development

full bloom

: being a full moon : completely illuminated

the moon is full tonight

: rounded in outline

a full figure

: possessing or containing a great number or amount

—used with of

a room full of picturesfull of hope

: having an abundance of material especially in the form of gathered, pleated, or flared parts

a full skirt

—used as an intensive to emphasize the large size of an amount

won by a full four strokeswas a full 3 months late with her payment

: rich in experience

a full life

: satisfied especially with food or drink

He was full after eating the large supper.

: large enough to satisfy

a full meal

archaic : completely weary

: having both parents in common

full sisters

: having volume or depth of sound

full tones

: completely occupied especially with a thought or plan

full of his own concerns

: possessing a rich or pronounced quality

a food of full flavor

full

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adverb

: very, extremely

knew full well they had lied to me

: entirely

swung full around—

Morley Callaghan

: straight, squarely

got hit full in the face

full

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noun

: the highest or fullest state or degree

the full of the moon

: the utmost extent

enjoy to the full

full

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verb (1)

fulled; fulling; fulls

intransitive verb

of the moon : to become full

transitive verb

: to make full in sewing

full

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verb (2)

fulled; fulling; fulls

transitive verb

: to shrink and thicken (woolen cloth) by moistening, heating, and pressing

Phrases

full of it

: not to be believed

in full

: to the requisite or complete amount

paid in full

: to the fullest extent : completely

read the book in full

Choose the Right Synonym for full

full, complete, plenary, replete mean containing all that is wanted or needed or possible.

full implies the presence or inclusion of everything that is wanted or required by something or that can be held, contained, or attained by it.

a full schedule

complete applies when all that is needed is present.

a complete picture of the situation

plenary adds to complete the implication of fullness without qualification.

given plenary power

replete implies being filled to the brim or to satiety.

replete with delightful details

Example Sentences

Adjective The plane was carrying a full load of passengers. The theater was full to capacity. We bought a full set of dishes. They waited for three full months. He has a full array of stereo equipment. The soldiers were wearing full combat gear. This will be his first full season with the team. His theories have not yet found full acceptance. I hope that you'll give us your fullest cooperation. Please give me your full attention. Adverb The cup was filled full to the brim. The ball hit him full in the chest. He kissed her full on the lips. Noun the account is now paid in full See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The coastline of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, will be getting a new addition in 2026: the sparkling exterior of Bentley Motors' first residential building, rising above a skyline full of luxury condos and hotels. —

Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 3 Feb. 2023 Not too long after, Palmer shared a more grounded and intimate pregnancy shoot full of cozy ribbed knits and neutral tones. —

André-naquian Wheeler, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2023 Hers is an ordinary life, in the end, full of small, extraordinary grace notes. —

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2023 Someone recently came into the shop with a box full of random lighthouse figurines. —

Ellie Silverman, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2023 There’s something exciting about walking up to a parking lot full of stuff people have plucked from their homes in order to declutter and make a few bucks at a flea market. —

Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2023 Democrats are already honing their pitch on what will set them apart on a ballot full of fellow Democrats. —

Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 This seasonal take on chips and dip is full of deep, rich flavors and perfect for cold-weather entertaining. —

Christopher Michel, Country Living, 2 Feb. 2023 In eight episodes, Freeridge manages to be funny, sweet, and full of mystery. —

Nicole Froio, refinery29.com, 2 Feb. 2023

Noun

All sizes will be available, including twins from $99, fulls ($149), queens ($199) and kings ($299). —

Don Maines, Houston Chronicle, 27 Feb. 2020 When in their feeding grounds, a gray whale typically eats about 1.3 tons of food — mouth-fulls of crustaceans, worms, shrimp and small, schooling fish — per day, according to researchers. —

Anchorage Daily News, 25 Jan. 2020 The idea of the world's greatest young talent moving to Bayern and playing under Pep Guardiola back in 2013 was one full of promise, but never was a fruitful situation in reality. —

SI.com, 16 Oct. 2019 My mother was crabbing at the end of the pier, dropping her steel net full of chicken guts Into the murky water, shimmering in July heat. —

T. R. Hummer, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2019 The Voyager probe of course famously bore a plaque that depicted our location in the galaxy as well as a golden record full of music and sounds from Earth. —

Shannon Stirone, Wired, 4 Oct. 2019 Scoring hat fulls of goals in quick succession might fill up most of Lewandowski's bitesize highlight reels, but the Poland international has actually been one of the most consistent goalscorers in recent years. —

SI.com, 27 Sep. 2019 Isabel is a beautiful full of heart and love young women. —

Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, 9 Sep. 2019 Meanwhile, their families have been arriving in waves, but their reunions, fulls of tears, have so far only been allowed through a window. —

Anna Werner, CBS News, 11 July 2018 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'full.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English ful, full, fol, going back to Old English full, going back to Germanic *fulla- (whence also Old Frisian ful, fol "full," Old Saxon full, Middle Dutch vol, Old High German fol, Old Icelandic fullr, Gothic fulls), going back to Indo-European *pl̥h₁nó-, verbal adjective from the base *pleh₁- "become full," whence also Old Irish lán "full," Welsh llawn (with length secondary if the proposed law shortening pretonic vowels in Celtic is valid), Latin plēnus (with -ē- from -plēre "to fill"), Old Church Slavic plĭnŭ, Russian pólnyj, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian pȕn, Lithuanian pìlnas, Sanskrit pūrṇáḥ, Avestan pərəna-; *pleh₁- appears with varying ablaut and suffixation in Latin plēre "to fill" (from *plēi̯e-), verbal adjective plētus, Greek pímplēmi "(I) fill," plêto "(it) has become full," Armenian lnowm "(I) fill," Sanskrit pr̥ṇā́ti "(s/he) fills"

Note: For another presumed development of *pleh₁- see poly-. Regarding the currency of the verb plēre in Latin see note at complete entry 1.

Adverb

Middle English ful, full "completely, entirely, very, quite," going back to Old English, derivative of full full entry 1

Noun

Middle English fulle "the whole amount, satisfactory amount," going back to Old English fulla, derivative of full full entry 1

Verb (1)

derivative of full entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English fullen "to full (cloth), trample down, oppress," borrowed from Anglo-French fuller, foler, fouler "to full (cloth), press (grapes), trample under foot, oppress," going back to Late Latin fullāre "to full (cloth)," verb derivative from the base of Latin fullōn-, fullō "fuller (of cloth), launderer," of obscure origin

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (1)

1785, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler