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
• packing

Examples of filling in a Sentence

a filling for a tooth

pies that need more filling

Recent Examples on the Web

This could be a byproduct of AI and its filling roles previously considered as entry-level for recent college graduates. —Jj Kinahan, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Dowling, the younger brother of former Caravan star quarterback Blainey Dowling, was solid filling in for all-state quarterback Jack Elliott last season when Elliott dealt with some injuries. —Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025

Grains Instead of an ingredient like croutons, add hearty grains to your salad for a filling component. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2025

The method in which they’re folded, either down the middle or the side, determines whether the filling is ricotta or pea. —AFAR Media, 2 Sep. 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