full

1 of 5

adjective

ˈfu̇l 

 also  ˈfəl

1

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

a full hamper

—often used with of

a bin full of corn

2

a

: complete especially in detail, number, or duration

a full report

gone a full hour

my full share

b

: lacking restraint, check, or qualification

full retreat

full support

c

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

full member

full professor

d

: 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

3

a

: being at the highest or greatest degree : maximum

full speed

full strength

b

: being at the height of development

full bloom

c

: being a full moon : completely illuminated

the moon is full tonight

4

: rounded in outline

a full figure

5

a

: possessing or containing a great number or amount

—used with of

a room full of pictures

full of hope

b

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

a full skirt

c

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

won by a full four strokes

was a full 3 months late with her payment

d

: rich in experience

a full life

6

a

: satisfied especially with food or drink

He was full after eating the large supper.

b

: large enough to satisfy

a full meal

7

archaic : completely weary

8

: having both parents in common

full sisters

9

: having volume or depth of sound

full tones

10

: completely occupied especially with a thought or plan

full of his own concerns

11

: possessing a rich or pronounced quality

a food of full flavor

full

2 of 5

adverb

1

a

: very, extremely

knew full well they had lied to me

b

: entirely

swung full around

—Morley Callaghan

2

: straight, squarely

got hit full in the face

full

3 of 5

noun

1

: the highest or fullest state or degree

the full of the moon

2

: the utmost extent

enjoy to the full

full

4 of 5

verb (1)

fulled; fulling; fulls

intransitive verb

of the moon : to become full

transitive verb

: to make full in sewing

full

5 of 5

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

1

: to the requisite or complete amount

paid in full

2

: to the fullest extent : completely

read the book in full

Synonyms

Adjective

• brimful
• brimming
• bursting
• chockablock
• chock-full
• chockful
• crammed
• crowded
• fat
• filled
• jammed
• jam-packed
• loaded
• packed
• stuffed

Adverb

• all
• all of
• all over
• altogether
• clean
• completely
• dead
• enough
• entire
• entirely
• even
• exactly
• fast
• flat
• fully
• heartily
• out
• perfectly
• plumb [chiefly dialect]
• quite
• soundly
• thoroughly
• through and through
• totally
• utterly
• well
• wholly
• wide

Noun

• aggregate
• sum
• sum total
• summation
• total
• totality
• whole

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

Examples of full in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Duncan Taylor has owned this cask — #3254 — for virtually its full life cycle, the whisky aging that entire time in the bottler’s HQ vault. —David Thomas Tao, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024

The president said Kennedy was full of integrity, empathy, joy and light. —CBS News, 16 Oct. 2024

The couple are longtime friends of Von Furstenberg, having thrown their engagement dinner at the fashion designer’s home last year. 2024 has been full of seminal moments for von Furstenberg, who celebrated the 50th anniversary of her iconic wrap dress this year. —Violet Goldstone, WWD, 16 Oct. 2024

That all changed tonight in New York, as the lingerie extravaganza returned for the first time in six years in truly blockbuster style—with Moss as the surprise casting coup in a night that was full of them. —Kerry McDermott, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2024

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

Phrases Containing full

• at full career
• at full height
• at full power
• at full strength
• at full stretch
• at full throttle
• at full tilt
• at full/top speed
• at/in full sail
• chock-full
• filled/full to the brim
• full bath
• full beam
• full blast
• full-blood
• full-blooded
• full-blown
• full-bodied
• full bore
• full circle
• full count
• full-court press
• full-cream
• full credit
• full credit for
• full dress
• full-fashioned
• full-fat
• full-figured
• full-fledged
• full-grown
• full head of hair
• full house
• full-length
• full marks
• full military honors
• full moon
• full nelson
• full of beans
• full of crap
• full of promise
• full of shit
• full-on
• full-out
• full price
• full refund
• full-scale
• full scholarship
• full-service
• full-size
• full steam/speed ahead
• full stop
• full-term
• full-throated
• full tilt
• full time
• full-timer
• full well
• full whack
• give full vent to
• going full speed ahead
• have one's hands full
• in full
• in full bloom
• in full career
• in (full) color
• in (full) command of
• in full cry
• in full flood
• in full flow
• in full flower
• in full pursuit
• in full swing
• in (full) uniform
• know full well
• live life to the full/fullest
• make a complete/full recovery
• more fun than a barrel (full) of monkeys
• on a full stomach
• on full lock
• paschal full moon
• pay in full
• play with a full deck
• pump (someone or something) full of (something)
• reach/realize one's full potential
• the full treatment
• to (one's) full height
• to the full
• undivided/full/complete attention

Kids Definition

full

1 of 3 adjective

ˈfu̇l 

1

: containing as much or as many as possible or normal

a bottle full of milk

a full hamper

2

a

: complete in number, amount, or duration

a full set of dishes

for a full hour

b

: not missing any essentials : perfect

in full control of the car

c

: being at the highest or greatest degree

in full bloom

at full power

full strength

d

: fully lighted

the moon is full

e

: completely occupied by runners

come to bat with the bases full

f

: having three balls and two strikes

a full count

3

a

: plump and rounded in outline

a full face

b

: having much material

a full skirt

4

: possessing or containing a great number or amount

a room full of pictures

full of hope

5

: satisfied especially with food or drink

6

: having the same parents

full sisters

7

: completely taken up especially with a thought or plan

full of one's own concerns

full of oneself

8

: having a rich quality

a full voice

fullness noun

full

2 of 3 adverb

1

a

: very entry 2 sense 1, extremely

knew full well who they were

b

: all the way : entirely

filled full

2

: smack entry 5, squarely

was hit full in the face

full

3 of 3 noun

: the highest state, extent, or degree