fill-in

1 of 2

noun

: someone or something that fills 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
Walsh joined Channel 58 as a reporter and fill-in anchor in April 2013. Chris Foran, jsonline.com, 8 July 2025 After 24 games there and two fill-in games at AA Chesapeake, he was reassigned to the organization’s Florida Complex League team, which plays in Sarasota. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 18 June 2025
Verb
Dwight McNeil filled in there against both Accrington and Blackburn, but is a partial fit at best. Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 21 July 2025 The precise effects are hard to predict because other funders may fill in some of the gaps. Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 July 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

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Cite this Entry

“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fill-in. Accessed 25 Jul. 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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