fill-in

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of fill-innext
: someone or something that fills in
She performed well as the emergency fill-in.

fill in

2 of 2

verb

filled in; filling in; fills in

transitive verb

1
: to enrich (something, such as a design) with detail
2
: to give necessary or recently acquired information to
I'll fill you in

intransitive verb

: to fill a vacancy usually temporarily
Interns filled in for regular staffers.

Examples of fill-in in a Sentence

Noun I'm just a fill-in, so I have no idea where office supplies are kept Verb my friend quickly filled me in on the portion of the movie that I had missed she's only filling in while the regular secretary is on vacation
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.
Noun
Merrill is not new to the station, having done weekends and fill-ins previously. Richard Wagoner, Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026 Duval County has two lines at early voting sites, one for ExpressVote and the other for a traditional fill-in-the-blanks ballot. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
In an era when teams typically carry more pitchers than position players, versatility allows managers to make favorable substitutions off the bench and to fill in the gaps in the event of injuries or ineffectiveness. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026 The positions, which the release said would be filled in March, each include a one-year term. Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fill-in

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1917, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fill-in was in 1840

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fill-in. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

fill in

verb
1
: to furnish with specified information
fill in an application
filled us in on the latest news
2
: to fill a vacancy usually temporarily : substitute
filled in during the emergency
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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