fill-in 1 of 2

noun

ˈfil-ˌin How to pronounce fill-in (audio)
Definition of fill-innext
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

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fill in

2 of 2

verb

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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fill-in
Noun
Multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank exam questions could be quickly and objectively scored. — Beth Kania-Gosche, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026 In her absence, season 1 cohosts Star Jones and Debbie Matenopoulos are set to return to the show as fill-in cohosts, alongside fellow ex-panelists Lisa Ling and cohost Sherri Shepherd. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
In the longer term, the generic industry — which represents most prescriptions filled in the United States — will continue pushing for an overhaul of the patent system brand-name drugmakers use to maintain exclusivity over their products. — Megan R. Wilson, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026 When Sasha fills in for Joanne on the sisters’ podcast, his banter with Morgan is, of course, gold. — Judy Berman, Time, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fill-in
  1. substitute
  2. inform
  3. stand in
  4. replacement
  5. tell
  6. take over
  7. backup
  8. advise
Noun
  • At times, Zukenee’s chameleonic range and ironic language can feel like a shrewd substitute for vulnerability.
    — Narsimha Gour Chintaluri, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • America can point to tankers still transiting Hormuz, but shipping that depends on costly military protection and remains under threat is a poor substitute for normal trade.
    — Ali Vaez, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • There is not a verifiable document about employees who have been informed about their responsibility to report health issues.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The statement doesn’t amount to an endorsement, a spokesperson for Caruso said, but instead simply informs people for whom Caruso planned to vote.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of inform
Verb
  • Identity and isolation are the walls; authorization is the lock on the door the agent is standing in front of.
    — Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • And that’s why the CDC includes a 30-second chair stand in its fall-risk assessment.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of stand in
Noun
  • The university admissions replacement system still has to be designed, and legal changes may be needed — leaving crucial decisions unresolved even as the government seeks to persuade students to end their protests.
    — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Unsupported systems need replacement plans or documented interim controls.
    — Aliasgar Dohadwala, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of replacement
Verb
  • Lamm told TechCrunch that conventional breeding can produce dogs with poor eyesight or genetic predispositions to cancer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Beirut City Pop, the latest compilation by archival label Habibi Funk, tells the story of the artists who dared to imagine a life beyond war.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tell
Verb
  • Anthropic said last month that its own validation workloads grew 25 fold in six months as Claude took over most of its code output.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Westminster police detectives took over the investigation and determined that the deaths were a double homicide.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of take over
Noun
  • But that doesn’t tell the full story either, as Seattle has played part of the season with backup Drew Lock and hasn’t yet lost by more than three points.
    — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Although Chen Mechan is accused of firing on the Salvadoran’s vehicles, sources said its heavily armed men received backup from Joseph’s 400 Mawozo, which controls the neighboring territory.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of backup
Verb
  • Solomon Rivera went from a job advising Mayor Karen Bass to running an outside campaign committee supporting her reelection months later, causing some experts to question whether the committee is independent.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Jokilehto advised that invitations should list the names of the people in the household that are invited.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of advise

Browse Nearby Words

fillies
fill-in
fill in
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Cite this Entry

“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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