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
Cousins is a great fill-in candidate for those who lost Patrick Mahomes. Kc Joyner, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025 The long-time NBC anchor, fill-in, and friend of the show has been named as the official new co-host of the fourth hour of Today. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
Riley Patterson, who has filled in for Sanders all season, has connected on 24 of 26 field goals, including a career-long 56 yarder against Pittsburgh on Monday. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025 In a post-game interview, Minshew spoke about filling in for the injured playmaker, and praised the quarterback for his drive and dedication to the sport, and his team. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025 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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fill-in. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

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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