filling in

verb

present participle of fill in
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

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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 My husband is filling in (as village president), but he's already done his two years. — CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Alan Bersten is filling in for Val this week with Jenna Dewan. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026 Bersten, who is filling in this week as Dewan’s partner, was previously paired with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis before they were eliminated earlier in the season. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Kansas Athletics on Tuesday released tip times and television networks for the 2026-27 men’s basketball schedule, filling in details missing when the slate was announced weeks ago. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 At the age of sixteen, Renée was able to reunite with her parents in the United States and found employment as a comics artist, filling in for the many male artists drafted into service. — Gaby Iori october 7, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026 Raster graphics, on the other hand, create pictures by filling in a grid of tiny pixels, an approach that was less suited to drawing the crisp lines needed to create this kind of perspective. — Mark J. P. Wolf, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026 While filling in for Green Bay starter Jordan Love last season, Willis completed 7 of 7 passes that traveled at least 20 air yards for 230 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026 The shampoo gently dissolves daily build-up, filling in cracks of damage to leave hair healthy, soft and supple while the rich, luxurious conditioner helps bring damaged hair back to life. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filling in
  1. informing
  2. standing in
  3. telling
  4. substituting
  5. advising
  6. stepping in
  7. catching up
  8. taking over
Verb
  • The mass sampling and real-time information gathering on prediction markets can extend their utility to informing business decisions, according to Zitzewitz.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Intarsia cashmere, combinations of leather and chiffon, and silk knitwear are areas of interest, with softness and lightness informing the broader wardrobe.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of informing
Verb
  • Identity and isolation are the walls; authorization is the lock on the door the agent is standing in front of.
    — Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There’s nothing better than just standing in the shower thinking and really making sure your hair is clean and your skin is refreshed.
    — Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of standing in
Verb
  • Using such guidelines as the standard is reasonable, which is exactly what makes his handling of them so telling.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
  • One invective accuses the directors of destroying the truth-telling potential of documentary.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of telling
Verb
  • His reverence for her motherhood — which the film avoids asking her about, substituting discussion with endless visuals of her breastfeeding and swinging her children through the waves — echoes the themes of season one.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, Brammall and Dyer came close to substituting Colin with an elderly lady, before reverting to their original premise.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of substituting
Verb
  • Indeed, whether evaluating political rivals or advising on executive decisions, Abigail proved essential to John’s success, securing her legacy as a true Founding Mother.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Oct. 2026
  • However, travelers could still face disruptions on the ground, with the embassy advising Americans to check for Metro station closures and other transportation interruptions before heading out.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of advising
Verb
  • The tension follows the women to Courtney’s event celebrating her husband’s birthday, where the real entertainment for the evening was Tia and Gizelle lacing stepping in the ring.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026
  • If parents are constantly stepping in to soothe or explain, the thinking goes, kids may not learn to manage their feelings or tolerate discomfort.
    — Alex Vance, Parents, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of stepping in
Verb
  • That is the moment measured GDP starts catching up to reality.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • For a woman weighing a cold plunge membership against a sauna pass, the clinical conversation is finally catching up to what the body may already be signaling.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of catching up
Verb
  • The release noted that Missouri Department of Transportation and police were taking over the incident less than 50 minutes after the initial call.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Marcus Freeman is 49-13 overall as the head coach of Notre Dame since taking over the Fighting Irish at the end of the 2021 season.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of taking over

Browse Nearby Words

filling
filling in
filling (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Filling in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filling%20in. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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