full
/fʊl/- 1.
Containing as much as possible, or having no more space, room, or amount left. It can also mean completely covered or made with a lot of something.
- The bus was full.
- My glass is full of water.
- The room was full of smoke.
- 2.
Complete or total. It means nothing is missing and something is done in a complete way.
- Please give me your full name.
- She has my full support.
- He read the full report.
- 3.
Having a large amount or a rich, strong quality, especially in sound, shape, or flavor.
- Her voice is full and warm.
- The dress has a full skirt.
- This soup has a full flavor.
Completely, or to the greatest amount possible, often in phrases like full of or full up.
- The bottle was full up.
- She was full of joy.
- The moon was shining full.
Adinary Nuance
Full is broader than complete. Use full for space, amount, or intensity, like a full cup or full support. Use complete when you mean nothing is missing, like a complete set or complete answer. Full often sounds more physical or direct than entire.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đầy
- Spanish
- lleno
- Chinese
- 满的
- Japanese
- いっぱいの
- Korean
- 가득 찬
Etymology
Old English full meant “completely filled” or “entire.” It comes from the Germanic word family that also gave German voll.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is full more common than complete?
- Yes, in everyday speech, full is very common for space and amount. Complete is more often used for whole sets, tasks, or information.
- Can I say full of in formal writing?
- Yes. Full of is common in both spoken and written English, including academic writing.
- What is the difference between full and filled?
- Full describes the state. Filled describes the action or result of putting something inside.
- Can full mean very?
- Yes, in some phrases it can mean very strong or complete, like full attention or full power.