as in substitute
a person or thing that takes the place of another
I'm just a fill-in, so I have no idea where office supplies are kept
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to inform
to give information to
my friend quickly filled me in on the portion of the movie that I had missed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
she's only filling in while the regular secretary is on vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fill-in
Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
In the coming weeks, the NFL intends to begin hiring and training replacement officials, hoping to avoid a situation similar to 2012 when a stalemate led to a 110-day lockout and fill-in officials, many unprepared, were pressed into action.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Meanwhile, in the White House briefing room this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio filled in for Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary now on maternity leave, quoting rap lyrics in response to questions about Iran.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Noun
Griffin’s empty spot at the table has been filled by a string of conservative-leaning guest hosts such as Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Abby Huntsman (both previous View regulars), Savannah Chrisley, Amanda Carpenter, Sheryl Underwood and this week’s fill-in Whitney Cummings.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
In the coming weeks, the NFL intends to begin hiring and training replacement officials, hoping to avoid a situation similar to 2012 when a stalemate led to a 110-day lockout and fill-in officials, many unprepared, were pressed into action.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Reckless policies made by the federal government are leaving our neighbors struggling to afford essentials, and our local city and county governments have a responsibility to fill in the gaps.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Meanwhile, in the White House briefing room this week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio filled in for Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary now on maternity leave, quoting rap lyrics in response to questions about Iran.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fill-in
Noun
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There was a league debut as a substitute at Brest in late September and, in January 2025, a first start at the age of 17.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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Acrylic — widely used as a wool substitute in sweaters and blankets, and one of the worst shedders of microfibers.—
Ryan Brennan
May 11,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 May 2026
Verb
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In December, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, began holding meetings to inform the public of the possibility of building more nuclear reactors within the state, hoping to entice a town to host one.—
Krisztian Elcsics,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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As Jones informed Moore of the selection, the 6-foot-3, 198-pound outside corner made a bold proclamation to his new boss.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 May 2026
Verb
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That stands in stark contrast to Nike, which has seen its business struggle in the region as Chinese consumers opt for local brands and move away from legacy incumbents.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
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An old-time tent, replete with a vanity table and bench, stands in the center of the first reception room.—
Jennifer Weil,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The Warriors, according to Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor, began looking into current Florida coach Todd Golden, a Saint Mary’s alum and former USF coach, as a potential replacement if the 60-year-old Kerr did not return.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
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Canned tuna isn’t a replacement for the fresh kind but instead is its own big player.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Daniel de Visé Americans who traveled on the MV Hondius cruise ship will have the option to return home, rather than to a national quarantine center, if safety protocols permit, a top health official told CNN on Sunday.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Alexa told me she was relieved by the outcome.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Cummins, who worked as a senior vice president at Serco, a government contractor that works with local and federal agencies, would take over a TSA bruised by the longest partial government shutdown in history, which ended late last month.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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After Pan Am went out of business, in 1991, Delta took over the service.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Brake-by-wire technology has existed in limited forms before, mainly as hybrid systems that still relied on hydraulic backups.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
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Our hero and best surviving element was a third-generation dupe negative, with a fourth-generation fine grain as a backup.—
Chris Yogerst,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The following year, the City Council called for an independent commission to advise on overhauling the city’s criminal-justice system; it was chaired by Jonathan Lippman, a former chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, and Richards became a member.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Outside the realm of dedicated wine investment companies such as Winecap, specialty wine merchants are cautious when advising clients on the investment potential of their purchases.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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