backfill

verb

back·​fill ˈbak-ˌfil How to pronounce backfill (audio)
backfilled; backfilling; backfills

transitive + intransitive

: to refill (something, such as an excavation) usually with excavated material
backfill a trench
backfill noun

Examples of backfill in a Sentence

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.
Gently backfill the hole with soil. Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 16 Jan. 2026 California political leaders, facing a tough budget year, warn that the state does not have the financial capacity to backfill those cuts. Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026 Who will backfill these coaching departures on Reid’s staff? Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2026 After Amabile said Medicaid and behavioral health programs would be cut, other Democrats wondered about dipping further into the state’s reserves to backfill the shortfall and avoid cutting social services. Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026 That effort could be derailed if the attorneys general cannot secure a court injunction, and the new state funding must be reallocated to backfill federal funding gaps. Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026 In November, voters in affluent Santa Clara County approved a sales tax increase, in part to backfill the loss of federal funds. Kff Health News, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026 Crowley, who is running for governor, was one of three Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates who called on the state to backfill FoodShare. Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025 Along with ordering the federal government to use emergency reserves to backfill SNAP benefits, McConnell ruled that all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backfill was in 1874

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Cite this Entry

“Backfill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backfill. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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