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

The leaves are steeped in a hollowed gourd and the drink is sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla, and the gourd passes from hand to hand among friends, family and sometimes strangers, refilled for hours. — Isabel Debre, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026

Drain the water from the sink or tub, and refill it with clean water. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2026

Noun

Once the process is complete, the tank refills with clean water from the plumbing system, typically from a municipal water supply or private well, and the porcelain throne is ready for its next user. — Sarah Kuta, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2026

This is the most expensive perfume on his list per ounce, and he’s nearly done with his bottle, so a refill is at the top of his wishlist. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 7 Nov. 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