1
: identical to an original in proportion and size
full-scale drawing
2
a
: involving full use of available resources
a full-scale biography
full-scale war
b
: total, complete
a full-scale musical renaissanceCurrent Biography

Examples of full-scale in a Sentence

a full-scale search and rescue for the victims of the rock slide
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The industry is already operating at minimal capacity, producing approximately 7 million metric tons this past year, around a third of the output level before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Michael Robinson Chávez, NPR, 7 Dec. 2024 Russian military officials contacted U.S. generals in one of the first official communications between the two militaries since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024 There, Lucius and his fellow gladiators must mount a full-scale attack on a warring ship for the entertainment of thousands of Romans watching, including its unhinged sibling emperors, Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger). Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024 For instance, prioritize minimum viable product (MVP) development over full-scale deployment to optimize resource allocation. Jamie Robinson, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for full-scale 

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of full-scale was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near full-scale

Cite this Entry

“Full-scale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/full-scale. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

full-scale

adjective
ˈfu̇l-ˈskā(ə)l
1
: identical to an original in size
2
: not limited in any way : using everything that can be used
a full-scale war
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!