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.
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 Lawmakers also expressed concerns that the federal government might not backfill dollars if the state steps into the void to ensure SNAP benefits remain unaffected during the shutdown. Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025 Place the mum in the hole, backfill it with soil, and water the plant thoroughly. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025 Teams such as Grand Canyon and UC Davis will backfill the Mountain West. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 9 Sep. 2025 The county will be asking voters in November to approve a five-eights-of-a-cent sales tax increase to help backfill some of the lost dollars. Grace Hase, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of backfill was in 1874

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backfill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backfill. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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