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

Relevance

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
After all, when employees call out on short notice, businesses pay for it — in longer lines, less efficient service and overtime for fill-in staff. — Andrea Hsu, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 Hollywood icon Rosie O’Donnell has taken stock of — and shots at — the television landscape before making her temporary return to the talk show format as fill-in host of Jimmy Kimmel Live. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
The Project Runway star, 53, was announced as the latest guest judge to fill in for Simon Cowell on America’s Got Talent. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 LaNeve, who is filling in as the Army’s top uniformed officer, recently ordered the battalion to refocus on its core mission of being an airborne infantry unit. — Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 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
  • With substitute Danny Imray, another new face at The Racecourse Ground, setting Ekomie up for his first goal in English football, Wrexham look well served in what has been a key area throughout Parkinson’s five years at the helm.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Somehow, this all dovetails with the fact that Davis and Friend were themselves substitutes for Greta Lee and Andrew Scott, who were cast as the leads when the film was announced in 2024.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • The pilots did not inform air traffic controllers of any problems with the plane prior to landing, air traffic control audio indicated.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Smart travelers stay informed by reading the fine print and understanding travel requirements for their destination.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of inform
Verb
  • Authorities said that 11 of those killed were foreigners, likely tourists who stand in long lines to board it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One afternoon, a man wearing a purple kurta was standing in line outside the shop.
    — Akhil Sharma, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stand in
Noun
  • Seattle's success led the Las Vegas Raiders to hire Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as its head coach, and the team tapped Brian Fleury as his play-calling replacement.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
  • While the airline and ground control argued over replacements, a group of eight highly experienced traveling grooms, including Vard, slipped into emergency mode.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of replacement
Verb
  • Home plate umpire Doug Eddings called time to tell Hancel Rincon to fix his hat.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Several parents previously told the Democrat-Gazette and other local media that the couple then disappeared and stopped responding to emails or phone calls.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of tell
Verb
  • The nearly six-week trial has taken over podcasts, social media and conversations beyond the Massachusetts courtroom.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Their daughter Laurel Farley Crowe, who took over as interim artistic director in 2024, proudly stands between her parents.
    — Jim Farmer, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of take over
Noun
  • Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold is one of the best quarterbacks on the planet at age 29, and was just hoping to hang on somewhere as a backup at age 24.
    — Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Instead of using Gay in a rotation with Tyrel Dodson, Weaver instead mostly kept Gay in one specific role — as the backup to Jordyn Brooks, who rarely came off the field.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of backup
Verb
  • Earlier this summer, a panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration recommended the government reclassify half a dozen of these peptides.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The airport advises travelers to check with their airline for schedule changes.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of advise

Browse Nearby Words

fillies
fill-in
fill in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of loath

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All