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Meaning & use

full membership

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌfʊl ˈmembəʃɪp/
US/ˌfʊl ˈmembərʃɪp/

Meanings

  1. noununcountable

    The status of belonging to a group with all the rights, duties and privileges, rather than a limited or temporary form of belonging.

    Grammar: Usually no plural: she was granted full membership.

    Patterns

    • full membership of something
    • full membership in something
    • apply for full membership

    The country applied for full membership of the organization after years as an observer.

    After a trial period, new players receive full membership of the club.

    Full membership gives you a vote at the annual meeting.

  2. nounsingular

    The total number of people who belong to an organization when it is at its complete strength.

    Grammar: Takes a singular or plural verb: the full membership was invited.

    Patterns

    • the full membership of something
    • a vote of the full membership

    The full membership of the union voted to accept the offer.

    Letters were sent to the full membership explaining the changes.

    The full membership of the council met for the first time in a year.

Common combinations

apply for full membership
After two years, she decided to apply for full membership.
grant full membership
The league agreed to grant full membership to the new team.
gain full membership
The country hopes to gain full membership within five years.
full membership rights
Full membership rights include voting and standing for office.
upgrade to full membership
You can upgrade to full membership at any time for a small fee.

Synonyms and how they differ

complete membership
Complete membership is rare and sounds unusual; full membership is the set phrase.
permanent membership
Permanent membership stresses that it does not end, while full membership stresses having every right.
entire membership
Entire membership refers only to all the members as a group, matching the second sense.

Opposites

associate membershipprovisional membership

Word family

member noun
a person who belongs to a group
membership noun
the state of belonging to a group
full member noun
someone who has all the rights of belonging

Commonly confused: full membership or associate membership?

full membership vs associate membership

Associate membership gives a limited level of belonging, often without voting rights, which full membership includes.

Practice

After a six-month trial, the club offered her ___ membership with voting rights.

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