fill-in

1 of 2

noun

: someone or something that fills in

fill in

2 of 2

verb

filled in; filling in; fills in

transitive verb

1
: to enrich (something, such as a design) with detail
2
: to give necessary or recently acquired information to
I'll fill you in

intransitive verb

: to fill a vacancy usually temporarily
interns filled in for regular staffers

Examples of fill-in in a Sentence

Noun I'm just a fill-in, so I have no idea where office supplies are kept Verb my friend quickly filled me in on the portion of the movie that I had missed she's only filling in while the regular secretary is on vacation
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The fill-in defenceman also teed up a couple of heavy shots, but Devon Levi was equal to the challenge. Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024 Killian O’Connor, the likely fill-in at center, played just 33 snaps this season and 54 last season, while freshmen Tobias Raymond (84 snaps) and Justin Tauanuu (16) likely will compete for right tackle in place of Mason Murphy, who entered the portal. Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
All of the stallions were settled into their stalls for the night under the watchful gaze of night watchman, Alton Stone, who was filling in for the regular night watchman. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 Plus, the Bronx Bombers have a massive hole to fill in their lineup and at first base. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fill-in 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1917, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fill-in was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near fill-in

Cite this Entry

“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fill-in. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

fill in

verb
1
: to furnish with specified information
fill in an application
filled us in on the latest news
2
: to fill a vacancy usually temporarily : substitute
filled in during the emergency
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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