infill

noun in·fill \ ˈin-ˌfil \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of infill

1 : material that fills in something (such as a hole or the spaces between a building's structural members)

volcanic infill

fiberglass infill

The artificial turf being used contains infill that is made from recycled tires …
—Greg Fitzpatrick

It's framed with hand-hewn cypress posts and beams, though instead of … brick infill … the walls are formed from … a mixture of mud, moss, and animal hair that was once used by native Americans living in the area.
—Amy R. Hughes

2 : new buildings constructed in the space available between existing structures

Urban infill, a big theme these days in city planning, is essentially the opposite of "urban sprawl." As cities grow, planners are looking for ways to pack more people into places that are already developed.
—Franklyn Cater

—often used before another noun

St. Louis must be the infill capital of the nation. Liberally scattered over the city, especially in the older parts, you see clumps and blocks of new apartments, condominia and row houses tucked in among centenarian neighbors.
—E. F. Porter

infill housing

—

infill

verb, transitive + intransitive infilled; infilling

- … it was easier to achieve the vaults themselves by building them of a framework of ribs infilled with webs.
- —James F. O'Gorman
- Stump holes can be expected to infill with material from the pit walls and immediate vicinity …
- —Jonathan D. Phillips et al.

Recent Examples of infill from the Web

This will be Metro’s second construction of an infill station, after NoMa-Gallaudet U in 2004.

— luz lazo, Washington Post, "Potomac Yard Metro station is over budget and behind schedule," 6 Apr. 2018
Having a downtown location near the urban infill projects and historic sites where Clemens works was important to the firm.

— shannon rooney, Philly.com, "Philadelphia's Center City has become the most appealing real estate for businesses in town," 14 Mar. 2018
Ice Blocks is a 200,000-square-foot, three-block urban infill project on the R Street Corridor in midtown Sacramento.

— mark glover, sacbee, "Mendocino Farms coming to Ice Blocks development in midtown | The Sacramento Bee," 14 Mar. 2018
In cities across the country, interest groups, activists, and residents are arguing about the construction of infill housing, working on ways to make cities denser, more walkable, more oriented toward transit instead of cars.

— adam rogers, WIRED, "Please Stop Building Houses Exactly Where Wildfires Start," 13 Mar. 2018
The county’s first new freeway in a quarter-century is something of a throwback, as regional planners have shifted their focus in recent years toward mass transit and infill development to combat snarled traffic and housing shortages.

— louis sahagun, latimes.com, "L.A. County set to build its first new freeway in 25 years, despite many misgivings," 10 Feb. 2018
Early on, there was uncertainty as to whether an urban infill project aimed at millennials and downsizing baby boomers would succeed.

— hudson sangree, sacbee, "These infill homes are so popular that their young builders are clearing space for more," 19 Jan. 2018
The Ice Blocks is one of several urban infill communities under construction in central Sacramento, along with the Mill at Broadway, Crocker Village, the Creamery in Alkali Flat and McKinley Village in East Sacramento.

— tony bizjak, sacbee, "Philz Coffee gets unusual neighbor – an upscale boutique that requires boxing gloves," 25 Oct. 2017
Industrial plots of five to 10 acres -- suited for infill distribution center near urban and suburban homes -- increased to more than $250,000 per acre, up from about $200,000 a year ago.

— paul takahashi, Houston Chronicle, "Industrial land prices skyrocket amid warehouse construction frenzy," 4 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infill.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.