refill

1 of 2

verb

re·​fill (ˌ)rē-ˈfil 

refilled; refilling; refills

transitive verb

: to fill again : replenish

intransitive verb

: to become filled again

refillable

(ˌ)rē-ˈfi-lə-bəl 

adjective

refill

2 of 2

noun

re·​fill ˈrē-ˌfil 

1

: a product or a container and a product used to refill the exhausted supply of a device

2

: something provided again

especially : a second or later filling of a medical prescription

Examples of refill in a Sentence

Verb

He refilled his glass from the nearby pitcher.

The reservoir will refill once it begins raining.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

What if the University of Miami is the right place to look more than 35 years after Jones bought the team from Bum Bright, flew to Austin to fire Tom Landry and then hired Jimmy Johnson away from the Hurricanes to refill the Cowboys’ trophy case? —Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026

That steady rain has also helped refill California's reservoirs, with 14 of the 17 major ones at 70% or more capacity. —Kayla Moeller, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2026

Noun

Available as a diffuser set and just as a refill, this scent will transport you to the fabulous atmosphere of a Gaylord Hotel. —Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026

The piece has room for all of my clutter, a backlog of refills, and my hefty fragrance collection. —Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for refill

• gleeful

Kids Definition

refill

1 of 2 verb

re·​fill (ˈ)rē-ˈfil 

: to fill or become filled again

refillable

-ˈfil-ə-bəl 

adjective

refill

2 of 2 noun

re·​fill ˈrē-ˌfil 

: a new or fresh supply of something

a refill for a ball-point pen

Medical Definition

refill

1 of 2 transitive verb

re·​fill (ˈ)rē-ˈfil 

: to fill (a prescription) a second or subsequent time

refill

2 of 2 noun

re·​fill ˈrē-ˌfil 

1

: a replacement in a cavity of removed liquid or other material or a substitution (as of gas) for such material

pneumothorax refill

2

: a prescription compounded and dispensed for a second or subsequent time without an order from the physician