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
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
The show’s format has continued to adapt with temporary substitutions, including past fill-ins during maternity leave and other extended absences among cast members.
—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Call, filling in for right fielder Kyle Tucker (back spasms) reached base four times, scored three runs and hit his first home run of the season.
—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Noun
This subversive summer scent trend is also a natural offshoot of last year’s influx of fill-in-the-blank-savory-food-girl summer; 2025’s tomato perfume is 2026’s sea salt scent.
—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
The show’s format has continued to adapt with temporary substitutions, including past fill-ins during maternity leave and other extended absences among cast members.
—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
Ejiofor offers winning toughness and a plug-and-play role player who can fill in frontcourt minutes at either position immediately, even if his limited offensive game likely caps his upside.
—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
Call, filling in for right fielder Kyle Tucker (back spasms) reached base four times, scored three runs and hit his first home run of the season.
—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fill-in
Noun
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Koulibaly misjudged a clearance and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was unable to keep out substitute Marcus Pedersen’s rasping shot to give Norway the lead close to halftime.
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Goldman Sachs recently highlighted this complexity by describing AI as both a complement and a substitute for labor depending upon the nature of the work involved.
Verb
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Former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been informed by the NFL that the league will not hold a supplemental draft prior to the 2026 season.
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Gonzalez worked to enforce a roadblock during the chemical plume without being informed about the dangers of inhaling the chemicals.
Verb
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Neon blue airbrushing radiated off a sunshine-yellow base, while hot pink auras stood in stark contrast to white French tips.
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The actor looked lovingly at his wife as the two stood in front of a white church with a red door.
Noun
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Assistant Leif Gunnar Smerud was named interim coach while the team searches for Straus’ replacement.
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In their place, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente somewhat bafflingly lined up Barcelona duo Ferrán Torres and Gavi as their replacements.
Verb
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Multiple officers got out of their vehicles, repeatedly telling the driver and a passenger to get out of the car, police said.
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Collett reveals that he was told back in Season 1 that his run on the show would last only two seasons.
Verb
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While Korean skincare has slowly but surely taken over our medicine cabinets, Korean makeup is starting to make its way into the rest of our routine.
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The show, meanwhile, will be on hiatus for the next two weeks in re-runs, before the guest hosts take over, an ABC spokesperson said.
Noun
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Rounding out the room is interior backup Mike Caliendo, whom Reid has often said the Chiefs view as a starter.
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But Castle brought backup this time, and Esposito (Jon Huertas) takes out Tyson through a window.
Verb
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Its drone warfare teams are now advising NATO nations (and regularly beating them in war game simulations).
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Authorities advised sensitive groups, including children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions, to limit prolonged outdoor activity as smoke levels increase.
Cite this Entry
“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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