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
Temporary fill-in or permanent replacement? — Chris Willman, Variety, 21 June 2026 Her cohost, Craig Melvin, and fill-in anchor, Sheinelle Jones, then revealed more details on her whereabouts at the top of Thursday's show. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026
Verb
However, after Savannah stepped away from the Today show following the February abduction of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, Kotb temporarily returned to the anchor desk to fill in for Savannah. — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 Guard Tobias Raymond has played center in spring practice at USC, filling in when O'Connor was slowed by previous injuries. — CBS News, 6 Aug. 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
  • Their dense texture makes oyster mushrooms a preferred meat substitute in many dishes.
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Now that it's disappeared from store shelves, longtime devotees have launched a petition to bring it back, flooded social media with disappointment and searched for substitutes.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of substitute
Verb
  • According to Shai Eisenman, founder and chief executive officer of Bubble, the pairings were informed by long-standing consumer requests.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Schulz responded that the agency only needed to inform Congress about the reorganization.
    — Chiara Eisner, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of inform
Verb
  • The designers also expanded the show’s scope far beyond New Mexico, using the Canary Islands, Albuquerque backlots and elaborate builds to stand in for locations ranging from Peru to Morocco.
    — Deadline, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Growth in Asia was spurred by core markets like China, up 40% year-on-year and standing in contrast to the rest of the industry, where the market dragged on quarterly results.
    — Ella Graveney, Vogue, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of stand in
Noun
  • That could mean returning replacement shares or paying their current value, including dividends and other distributions that would have accrued.
    — Mark Lewyn, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2026
  • After losing one young defensive tackle for the season, the Miami Dolphins quickly got to work on finding a replacement.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of replacement
Verb
  • Davis also told Las Vegas police about his role in Tupac’s death.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • In summer 2022, the Today host told her audience how the then five-year-old used her allowance to buy an ice cream cone for a local restaurant manager.
    — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of tell
Verb
  • Professional Bull Riding took over Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night for day one of the weekend-long competition, and the defending Team Series champion Florida Freedom were the main event.
    — Ava DiCecca, Sun Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But a ruling has yet to come, so now the City Council is seeking to ask voters whether the city should take over the park district.
    — Jermont Terry, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of take over
Noun
  • Home batteries become grid assets Core is designed to work as both household backup and grid infrastructure.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Milwaukee wanted Naylor as another layer of protection behind starting backstop William Contreras and backups Sánchez and Jeferson Quero.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of backup
Verb
  • Her doctor advised her to stop clinical hyperpigmentation treatments for her dark spots and uneven skin tone as some ingredients could be unsafe to use while trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Aug. 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 10 Aug. 2026.

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