1
as in informing
to give information to
my friend quickly filled me in on the portion of the movie that I had missed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in standing in
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 filling in
The Steelers wouldn’t have even been in position for that last touchdown pass if not for a brutal error by Xavier Gipson, filling in at kick returner after Kene Nwangwu left with an injury.
—
Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
In 2011, the adjustment was mostly about filling in gaps left by missing coworkers.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
To make the apple filling in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
The company is planning to open 15 to 20 new stores over the next few years under new parent company Hoffmann Oberweis Dairy, filling in additional locations in the Chicago market while expanding its retail footprint into Wisconsin and Florida.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
For this week’s Open Questions column, Cal Newport is filling in for Joshua Rothman.
—Cal Newport, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2025
This past year, Iowa made an AI-powered reading tutor available to all state elementary schools; elsewhere, chatbots are filling in for school-counselor shortages.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2025
Backup tackle Larry Borom, who’s filling in for Jackson, had a false start.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2025
Ripa's absence began Monday, with Nobody Wants This actress Jackie Tohn filling in as guest cohost alongside Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos.
—EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
In 2011, the adjustment was mostly about filling in gaps left by missing coworkers.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
To make the apple filling in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
The company is planning to open 15 to 20 new stores over the next few years under new parent company Hoffmann Oberweis Dairy, filling in additional locations in the Chicago market while expanding its retail footprint into Wisconsin and Florida.
—Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
For this week’s Open Questions column, Cal Newport is filling in for Joshua Rothman.
—Cal Newport, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2025
This past year, Iowa made an AI-powered reading tutor available to all state elementary schools; elsewhere, chatbots are filling in for school-counselor shortages.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2025
Backup tackle Larry Borom, who’s filling in for Jackson, had a false start.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2025
Ripa's absence began Monday, with Nobody Wants This actress Jackie Tohn filling in as guest cohost alongside Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos.
—EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filling in
Verb
-
These measurements are fundamental to understanding how greenhouse gas emissions relate to rising temperatures, simultaneously contributing to scientific research and informing policymakers of compliance with environmental regulations.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The residents of Leith, North Dakota, did this by creating a website informing people about what was happening in their community.—
Paul J. Becker,
The Conversation,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This year, Huntsinger wants to avoid the scheduling snafus that led so many loyal badge holders ($780 each) standing in line for hours without seeing the big films.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Even standing in the middle of a village square with a gun could be seen this way, given how many people hang around with guns in Israel.—
Sam Fleischacker,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Rare was the big public event in which none of the bold names were telling red-carpet interlocutors that were wearing Armani.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
-
And in this fragile economy—rife with tariffs, skyrocketing living costs, and a looming recession—there’s no telling how one’s financial situation can change on a dime.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When making the switch to a plant-forward diet, Moon advised easing into it with small changes such as adding leafy greens to smoothies, using tofu in a grain bowl, and substituting animal fats for olive oil.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The value is not in substituting one expert for another, or in outsourcing fully to the machine, or indeed in presuming the human expertise will always be superior, but in leveraging human and rapidly-evolving machine capabilities to achieve best results.—
David Autor,
The Atlantic,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Since leaving the Senate in 2021, Gardner has remained active in public policy and industry advocacy, advising organizations across sectors including clean energy, healthcare and aerospace.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
-
What to Know On Tuesday afternoon, the NWS office in Grand Rapids, Michigan, issued a beach hazards statement for more than 100 miles of lakeshore along Michigan's western coast, advising people to stay out of the water and off of piers.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With New Mexico’s cannabis market at a crossroads, a new association is stepping in to rally businesses, push reforms, and help guide the industry’s future.—
Benjamin Adams,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
But others did not blame the mother alone, instead criticizing the husband and even the child's aunt and grandparents for not stepping in.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
When that happens, catching up will be far harder—and far more expensive—than acting now.—
Alex Brueckmann,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Coach Kellen Moore enters his first year in the head job with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough taking over after former quarterback Derek Carr abruptly retired in the offseason.—
David Wilson,
Miami Herald,
28 Aug. 2025
-
We were blown away by the divas taking over pop radio, including Whitney, Mariah, and Celine — VH1 even dedicated a concert series to them.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Filling in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filling%20in. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share