filling

noun

fill·​ing ˈfi-liŋ 

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

a fruit filling

Synonyms of filling

• fill
• packing

Examples of filling in a Sentence

a filling for a tooth

pies that need more filling

Recent Examples on the Web

With a sleek silhouette, a luxe metal base, and plush foam filling, the piece is ideal for a reading nook, nursery, or any corner that could use extra seating. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Dec. 2025

The suite levels are layered throughout the lower bowl like the buttercream filling in a Dobos torte, forming an inverted cone of the strata of American affluence. —John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

The bouncy pillows stay cool overnight, plus the filling doesn’t shift. —Amy Schulman, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025

The fillings in the beef and chicken enchiladas were flavorful, but the chipotle queso on one enchilada seemed barely more than a drizzle. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing filling

• filling station

Rhymes for filling

• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• grilling
• killing
• milling
• pilling
• rilling
• schilling
• shilling
• skilling
• spilling

Kids Definition

filling

noun

fill·​ing ˈfil-iŋ 

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 

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