filling

noun

fill·​ing ˈfi-liŋ How to pronounce filling (audio)
1
: an act or instance of filling
2
: something used to fill a cavity, container, or depression
3
: something that completes: such as
a
: the yarn interlacing the warp in a fabric
also : yarn for the shuttle
b
: a food mixture used to fill pastry or sandwiches

Examples of filling in a Sentence

a filling for a tooth pies that need more filling
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.
Its team of 26 volunteer dentists and four dental hygienists perform a range of services for clients, from basic cleanings and fillings to extractions and dentures. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025 David carried out mass cremations, removed corpses’ gold jewelry and dental fillings and illegally harvested corpses’ organs for sale, prosecutors charged. Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 16 June 2025 Gomberg Seltzer Works operated as a production and filling plant. Liza Weisstuch, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2025 As temperatures rise, these sets promise to keep you cool with features like moisture-wicking fabric and breathable filling. Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for filling

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of filling was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Filling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/filling. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

filling

noun
fill·​ing ˈfil-iŋ How to pronounce filling (audio)
1
: material that is used to fill something
a filling for a tooth
2
: something that completes: as
a
: the yarn crossing over and under the warp in a fabric
b
: a food mixture used to fill pastry or sandwiches

Medical Definition

filling

noun
fill·​ing ˈfil-iŋ How to pronounce filling (audio)
1
: material (as gold or amalgam) used to fill a cavity in a tooth
2
: simple sporadic lymphangitis of the leg of a horse commonly due to overfeeding and insufficient exercise

More from Merriam-Webster on filling

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