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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of fill-in
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
The long-time NBC anchor, fill-in, and friend of the show has been named as the official new co-host of the fourth hour of Today.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2025
Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Midfielder Jack Hinshelwood filled in at right-back against City in the absence of Veltman and fellow Dutchman Wieffer.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Noun
Brown has been a valuable fill-in as a backup at guard and center this season, starting two games in place of rookie Jared Wilson at left guard.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
The long-time NBC anchor, fill-in, and friend of the show has been named as the official new co-host of the fourth hour of Today.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
Tim Washe filled in by making his NHL season debut, appearing in his third career game.
—Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Midfielder Jack Hinshelwood filled in at right-back against City in the absence of Veltman and fellow Dutchman Wieffer.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fill-in
Noun
-
Use substitutes like wash cloths and knitted pieces over the mop head.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Bakwa had an impressive cameo as a substitute against Everton recently, but lacked the same drive against the Championship club last night.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On the whole, higher limits offer better protection, so recognizing the differences in coverage between minimum requirements and real-life needs can inform better decision-making in this regard.—
Ethan M. Stone,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Local fire and government authorities are notified prior to burn days and kept informed throughout prescribed fire operations.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shady Maple Smorgasbord – Pennsylvania Shady Maple, an icon of the Lancaster County community, began as a small roadside produce stand in the late 1960s before expanding into a grocery store and, eventually, a full-scale buffet, according to its website and local reports.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
White egrets stood in the shallows, a woodpecker knocked somewhere nearby, and pairs of green parrots flew upstream, beating their wings in time.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The recruitment of a permanent replacement for Mitchell is just beginning and may take much of 2026 to complete.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The company now provides hydro jetting, sewer repair and replacement, trenchless repairs, water damage cleanup services, and water filtration and softening systems.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Police added that Lattimore was arrested for not telling the officer there was a gun inside the vehicle when asked.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Federal prosecutors have launched a new criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, after a grand jury previously declined to indict her twice on unrelated criminal charges, two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Another option would have Major League Baseball take over the Royals’ broadcasts.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
-
To get Corky off his back, Pine exposes his drinking issues, then takes over as the owner of Tradepass, the front company that Roper uses to sell weapons under the guise of agricultural equipment.—
Jake Kring-Schreifels,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The officer directed both men to exit the SUV as his backup arrived.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Kispert has been a backup for the bulk of his five NBA seasons, all with Washington.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In a Facebook post, the CAIC advised skiers to be aware of areas with the highest avalanche danger.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Last January, Navajo leaders advised citizens to carry their Certificate of Indian Blood or tribal identification card.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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