full
1 of 5adjective
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 picturesfull 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 strokeswas 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 5adverb
1
a
: very, extremely
knew full well they had lied to me
b
: entirely
swung full around—
Morley Callaghan
Morley Callaghan2
: straight, squarely
got hit full in the face
full
3 of 5noun
1
: the highest or fullest state or degree
the full of the moon
2
: the utmost extent
enjoy to the full
full
4 of 5verb (1)
fulled; fulling; fulls
intransitive verb
of the moon : to become full
transitive verb
: to make full in sewing
full
5 of 5verb (2)
fulled; fulling; fulls
transitive verb
: to shrink and thicken (woolen cloth) by moistening, heating, and pressing
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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
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 WebKara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023 Almost immediately after his election, The New York Times reported that his résumé was full of lies. —The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 15 Feb. 2023 During the vigil, St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church was full of people from the community, with even some standing along the side walls. —CNN, 14 Feb. 2023 The article by Shane McFeely and Ben Wigert is full of similarly insightful statistics. —Dr. John W. Mitchell, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 With the addition of Gage, the Astros' 40-man roster is now full. —Michael Shapiro, Chron, 14 Feb. 2023 Berry's Instagram feed is full of photos from her travels around the world, though lately, the model has been spending much of her time in New Zealand, where Apa is from. —Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2023 Rocket Companies is full of incredible people − passionate about serving our clients, the community and each other. —Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, 13 Feb. 2023 The ice box wasn’t full, and the ice melted fairly quickly. —Scott Mckee, Field & Stream, 13 Feb. 2023 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 gutsInto 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
Adjective
Read full article Pulled pork mac and cheese at Stillwater Restaurant. —Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023 Almost immediately after his election, The New York Times reported that his résumé was full of lies. —The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 15 Feb. 2023 During the vigil, St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church was full of people from the community, with even some standing along the side walls. —CNN, 14 Feb. 2023 The article by Shane McFeely and Ben Wigert is full of similarly insightful statistics. —Dr. John W. Mitchell, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 With the addition of Gage, the Astros' 40-man roster is now full. —Michael Shapiro, Chron, 14 Feb. 2023 Berry's Instagram feed is full of photos from her travels around the world, though lately, the model has been spending much of her time in New Zealand, where Apa is from. —Jessica Booth, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2023 Rocket Companies is full of incredible people − passionate about serving our clients, the community and each other. —Jc Reindl, Detroit Free Press, 13 Feb. 2023 The ice box wasn’t full, and the ice melted fairly quickly. —Scott Mckee, Field & Stream, 13 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 gutsInto 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 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
Kids Definition
full
1 of 3 adjective ˈfu̇l
1
: containing as much or as many as possible or normal
a bottle full of milk
the disk is full and will take no more data
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 adverb1
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
full 1 of 3
adjective
1
as in filled
containing or seeming to contain the greatest quantity or number possible at the start of the game everyone was full of energy and hope the boy's bedroom is full of sports trophies and medals Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- filled
- packed
- bursting
- crammed
- loaded
- jammed
- stuffed
- crowded
- brimming
- brimful
- chock-full
- chockful
- jam-packed
- chockablock
- overflowing
- fat
- overfull
- overfilled
- overloaded
- teeming
- overstuffed
- replete
- overcrowded
- overladen
- fraught
- swarming
- abounding
- flush
- rife
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- devoid
- short
- empty
- bare
- blank
- insufficient
- vacant
- void
- incomplete
- inadequate
- stark
- wanting
- deficient
- shy
- drained
- shortish
- depleted
- exhausted
2
as in utmost
of the highest degree even at the age of eighteen he hadn't reached his full height a boat going at full speed Synonyms & Similar Words
- utmost
- greatest
- maximum
- utter
- top
- high
- topmost
- heightened
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- minimal
- minimum
- least
- lowest
- slightest
- low
- littlest
- lessened
3
as in stuffed
having one's appetite completely satisfied even the heartiest eaters are sure to be full when they leave that restaurant Synonyms & Similar Words
- stuffed
- sated
- replete
- satiated
- surfeited
- satiate
- overstuffed
- gorged
- glutted
- overfull
- overfed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- empty
- hungry
- starving
- starved
- famished
- undernourished
- underfed
4
as in comprehensive
covering everything or all important points a full analysis of the problems facing our cities today Synonyms & Similar Words
- comprehensive
- complete
- panoramic
- extensive
- thorough
- inclusive
- global
- general
- exhaustive
- omnibus
- encyclopedic
- embracive
- cyclopedic
- compendious
- universal
- vast
- in-depth
- broad
- large
- wide
- all-embracing
- broad-gauged
- all-inclusive
- overall
- cover-all
- all-in
- broad-gauge
- sweeping
- far
- catholic
- cosmic
- inclusionary
- unrestricted
- blanket
- panoptic
- encyclical
- indiscriminate
- wide-ranging
- grand
- far-reaching
- cosmical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- limited
- specialized
- restricted
- narrow
- specific
- exact
- precise
- individual
- singular
- circumscribed
- incomplete
- sketchy
- patchy
5
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor) the dessert had a rich, full chocolate flavor Synonyms & Similar Words
- rich
- robust
- strong
- big
- potent
- concentrated
- heady
- lusty
- plush
- full-bodied
- muscular
- heavy
- undiluted
- straight
- unmixed
- high-octane
- enriched
- fortified
- high-test
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- light
- mild
- thin
- weak
- delicate
- thinned
- weakened
- dilute
- diluted
- watery
- watered-down
6
as in plump
having an excess of body fat she should have a hairdo that complements her full face Synonyms & Similar Words
- plump
- round
- fat
- thick
- heavy
- replete
- gross
- husky
- stout
- ripe
- fleshy
- corpulent
- tubby
- chubby
- rotund
- pudgy
- ample
- obese
- overweight
- lardy
- soft
- blubbery
- portly
- podgy
- hefty
- plumpish
- beefy
- squat
- roly-poly
- chunky
- bulky
- burly
- stocky
- weighty
- thickset
- stubby
- brawny
- dumpy
- heavyset
- flabby
- hippy
- paunchy
- buxom
- potbellied
- zaftig
- endomorphic
- zoftig
- corn-fed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- spare
- thin
- slender
- lean
- skinny
- angular
- slim
- skeletal
- sinewy
- wasted
- slight
- bony
- gaunt
- lanky
- lank
- puny
- rawboned
- pinched
- haggard
- scrawny
- emaciated
- cadaverous
- weedy
- stringy
- scraggy
- svelte
- rangy
- reedy
- waspish
- willowy
- spindly
- twiggy
- boney
- sylphlike
- anorexic
- spindling
- ectomorphic
7
as in detailed
including many small descriptive features a very full description of the city's cultural offerings Synonyms & Similar Words
- detailed
- thorough
- comprehensive
- complete
- particular
- entire
- minute
- accurate
- elaborate
- descriptive
- particularized
- specific
- circumstantial
- blow-by-blow
- vivid
- graphic
- copious
- abundant
- panoramic
- specified
- explicit
- listed
- inclusive
- precise
- itemized
- distinct
- exhaustive
- thoroughgoing
- correct
- delineated
- exact
- encyclopedic
- enumerated
- replete
- in-depth
- graphical
- exhausting
- inventoried
- numerated
- omnibus
- picturesque
- sharp
- inclusionary
- mapped (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- summary
- short
- brief
- compendious
- concise
- succinct
- pithy
- crisp
- compact
- cut
- terse
- abbreviated
- trimmed
- general
- curtailed
- shortened
- vague
- broad
- abridged
- ambiguous
- indeterminate
- sketchy
- overall
- nebulous
- pruned
- nondescript
- unspecified
- nonspecific
- bird's-eye
8
as in complete
not lacking any part or member that properly belongs to it a full deck of cards Synonyms & Similar Words
- complete
- entire
- whole
- total
- comprehensive
- perfect
- intact
- plenary
- grand
- integral
- extensive
- compleat
- unabridged
- uncut
- maximal
- exhaustive
- undiminished
- full-on
- full-blown
- full-scale
- full-out
- full-bore
- all-out
- full-fledged
- full-blooded
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- partial
- incomplete
- imperfect
- cut
- reduced
- diminished
- abbreviated
- abridged
full
2 of 3adverb
1
as in all
to a full extent or degree waited until it was full dark to launch the attack Synonyms & Similar Words
- all
- fully
- quite
- completely
- wide
- totally
- entire
- perfectly
- utterly
- fast
- out
- wholly
- even
- thoroughly
- enough
- well
- entirely
- exactly
- absolutely
- for fair
- clean
- all of
- flat
- dead
- all over
- at length
- all the way
- in whole
- basically
- to pieces
- plain
- altogether
- heartily
- plumb
- mostly
- to the max
- to bits
- soundly
- downright
- down to the ground
- substantially
- cold
- to the hilt
- through and through
- generally
- overall
- largely
- down the line
- stone
- mainly
- predominantly
- generously
- predominately
- hands down
- stone-cold
- primarily
- abundantly
- chiefly
- principally
- unqualifiedly
- by and large
- categorically
- greatly
- more or less
- copiously
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- half
- partially
- halfway
- partly
- just
- part
- slightly
- barely
- scarcely
- hardly
- minimally
- somewhat
- approximately
- marginally
- incompletely
- roughly
- superficially
- kind of
2
as in very
to a great degree he knew full well that what he was doing was wrong Synonyms & Similar Words
- very
- damn
- extremely
- damned
- incredibly
- that
- too
- highly
- terribly
- real
- jolly
- so
- super
- most
- extra
- much
- badly
- really
- far
- seriously
- desperately
- such
- severely
- wildly
- exceeding
- mighty
- intensely
- good and
- heavily
- especially
- filthy
- greatly
- exceptionally
- way
- roaring
- stinking
- passing
- absolutely
- awful
- a lot
- fantastically
- particularly
- fiercely
- wicked
- fabulously
- awfully
- totally
- specially
- immensely
- completely
- exceedingly
- dang
- monstrous
- thoroughly
- deadly
- thumping
- cracking
- almighty
- frightfully
- rattling
- supremely
- uncommonly
- remarkably
- whacking
- hugely
- utterly
- sore
- eminently
- bone
- fully
- achingly
- beastly
- corking
- enormously
- vitally
- roaringly
- surpassingly
- spanking
- right
- entirely
- unco
- blisteringly
- ever
- vastly
- deeply
- positively
- sorely
- wholly
- archly
- majorly
- significantly
- as all get-out
- mortally
- downright
- colossally
- considerably
- mightily
- noticeably
- purely
- substantially
- radically
- visibly
- extensively
- obviously
- profoundly
- notably
- abundantly
- flat-out
- markedly
- plentifully
- altogether
- obscenely
- excessively
- discernibly
- palpably
- amazingly
- appreciably
- astonishingly
- plainly
- staggeringly
- monumentally
- grandly
- monstrously
- overmuch
- astronomically
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- little
- somewhat
- slightly
- nominally
- just
- barely
- scarcely
- hardly
- negligibly
- minimally
- meagerly
- marginally
- scantily
3
as in right
as stated or indicated without the slightest difference full in the center of the square stands an enormous statue of the city's founder Synonyms & Similar Words
- right
- just
- sharp
- due
- precisely
- exactly
- squarely
- smack-dab
- on the nose
- on the button
full
3 of 3noun
as in total
a complete amount of something the account is now paid in full Synonyms & Similar Words
- total
- whole
- sum
- totality
- bulk
- entirety
- summation
- sum total
- grand total
- aggregate
- the whole bit
- the whole kit and caboodle
- gross
- the whole shebang
- the whole nine yards
- completeness
- cumulativeness
- comprehensiveness
- mass
- enchilada
- lion's share
- schmear
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- net
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of full are complete, plenary, and replete. While all these words 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
While in some cases nearly identical to full, 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
The synonyms replete and full are sometimes interchangeable, but replete implies being filled to the brim or to satiety.
replete with delightful details