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
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
By July 1, 2027, the Colorado Secretary of State will provide long-form articles with check-box and fill-in-the-blank provisions — covering ownership structure, governance, IP terms, tax treatment, and more—so artists can set up their own A-Corps without needing to consult a lawyer.
—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
3 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
In 2022, the civil grand jury found evidence of mutual distrust between Cupertino City Council members and city staff, which led to a long line of resignations and fill-ins in the city manager’s position.
—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
By July 1, 2027, the Colorado Secretary of State will provide long-form articles with check-box and fill-in-the-blank provisions — covering ownership structure, governance, IP terms, tax treatment, and more—so artists can set up their own A-Corps without needing to consult a lawyer.
—
Anne Doran,
ARTnews.com,
3 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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Emmet Sheehan is not pitching for his major-league job at the moment, largely because River Ryan’s latest injury has removed Sheehan’s biggest replacement from the board.
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Huel offers nutritionally complete protein shakes as meal replacements.
Verb
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All of Rojas’ family members were OK, the Venezuelan native told reporters ahead of Friday’s game against the Padres in San Diego.
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Sources told Axios that both sides agreed to halt attacks on each other and meet in Qatar on Tuesday to resolve differences over the Strait of Hormuz.
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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In states shrouded by Jim Crow laws, Black Americans were advised where and where not to drive.
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In the same breath, a heatwave doesn’t help when authorities are advising people stay indoors.
Cite this Entry
“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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