fledgling

noun

fledg·​ling ˈflej-liŋ How to pronounce fledgling (audio)
Synonyms of fledgling
often attributive
1
: a young bird just fledged (see fledge sense 1)
a bird feeding her fledglings
2
: an immature or inexperienced person
fledgling medical students
3
: one that is new
a fledgling company

Synonyms of fledgling

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Examples of fledgling in a Sentence

a female bird feeding her fledglings at hockey he's still a fledgling and needs to work on his basic skating skills
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Smekkleysa was born as a fledgling incubator, giving experimental musicians a space to, well, explore. — Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026 Shortly before his death in 1981, Hirshhorn asked Lust to donate to the fledgling institution, to which Lust agreed. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 After debuting his first soymilk maker, Wang personally hawked his fledgling creation in markets and malls. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 18 Aug. 2026 With the backing of both, Rasmussen was able to secure an NCAA TV contract for his fledgling network. — Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fledgling

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fledgling was in 1830

Browse Nearby Words

fledgeless
fledgling
fledgy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fledgling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fledgling. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fledgling

noun
fledg·​ling ˈflej-liŋ How to pronounce fledgling (audio)
1
: a young bird just fledged
2
: an immature or inexperienced person

More from Merriam-Webster on fledgling

Nglish: Translation of fledgling for Spanish Speakers

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