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

Synonyms

• fill
• filler
• padding
• stuffing
• wadding

Examples of filling in a Sentence

a filling for a tooth

pies that need more filling

Recent Examples on the Web

Poblano pepper gives this filling breakfast a little kick. —Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2024

Since the rolls are filled, wrapped, then fried, both the filling and the shell get an extra shot of richness. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024

Some shoppers are ditching low-calorie snacks like popcorn for more filling ones, executives have said. —Jessica Dinapoli, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 Apr. 2024

Left unchecked, the rapid filling of the landfill will be expensive. —Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 8 Apr. 2024

The Syrian-Palestinian chef only serves the beloved Levantine cookies, shaped with signature molds and stuffed with espresso-date, cinnamon-walnut, and pistachio-rose fillings, during Christmas and Eid. —Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Apr. 2024

Heavy metals can accumulate in the liver as the result of dental fillings that have a high level of mercury, and too much can cause toxicity. —Michael Carroll, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

The result behaves like flour tortillas, holds up well with fillings and comes in three sizes: small for tacos, medium for larger tacos and quesadillas, and large for burritos and other wraps. —Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, pies or baked goods with cream or custard fillings (such as coconut or chocolate cream pies) are prone to separating and turning watery or lumpy. —Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing filling

• filling station

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