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Meaning & use

full-scale

adjective, phrase·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˌfʊl ˈskeɪl/
US/ˌfʊl ˈskeɪl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Using or involving the whole of something, at its complete size or strength, not a reduced version.

    Grammar: Comes directly before a noun: a full-scale investigation, a full-scale model.

    Patterns

    • a full-scale attack
    • a full-scale investigation
    • a full-scale model

    The police launched a full-scale investigation into the missing money.

    The museum has a full-scale model of the dinosaur.

    After the flood, the town needed a full-scale rebuilding effort.

  2. adjectivebefore a nountechnical

    Made or shown at the same size as the real thing.

    Grammar: Used mainly about models, drawings, or copies that match the original's actual measurements.

    Patterns

    • a full-scale drawing
    • a full-scale copy

    The engineers worked from a full-scale drawing of the bridge.

    They built a full-scale copy of the ship for the film.

  3. phrasefixed phrase

    At the complete level or extent, with nothing held back.

    Grammar: Used after a linking verb, often in the pattern 'is full scale', to mean something is happening completely.

    Patterns

    • be full scale
    • go full scale

    The conflict is now full scale and affects the whole region.

    Production went full scale once the tests passed.

Common combinations

a full-scale war
The border dispute turned into a full-scale war.
a full-scale search
Rescuers began a full-scale search for the missing climbers.
a full-scale production
The factory moved to full-scale production last month.
launch a full-scale attack
The army launched a full-scale attack at dawn.
a full-scale rehearsal
We had a full-scale rehearsal before opening night.

Synonyms and how they differ

large-scale
Emphasizes great size or wide extent, but not necessarily completeness; a large-scale event can still be partial.
all-out
Stresses maximum effort with nothing held back, and is more informal than full-scale.
complete
Focuses on nothing being missing rather than on real size or strength, so it fits less well with physical models.

Opposites

small-scalelimited

Word family

full size adjective
Made at the normal size of the real thing.
full-length adjective
Of standard or complete length, often used of films or mirrors.

Commonly confused: full-scale or full-time? full-scale or large-scale?

full-scale vs full-time

Means working or studying for the whole of a normal working week; full-scale is about size and completeness, not hours.

full-scale vs large-scale

Both suggest something big, but large-scale does not require that the whole thing is involved.

Practice

The government ordered a ______ inquiry into the accident, covering every detail.

Make it your own

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