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 The two top officials also discussed Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Emily Feng, NPR, 31 May 2024 When Stewart filed the new brief for Mississippi that July, his argument was a full-scale assault on a precedent that had defined American life for nearly half a century, in plain language. Lisa Lerer, New York Times, 28 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for full-scale 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'full-scale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 5 Jun. 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
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