filling

American  

[fil-ing] / ˈfɪl ɪŋ /

noun

1. an act or instance of filling.

2. something that is put in to fill something else.

   They used sand as filling for the depression.

3. Dentistry. a substance such as cement, amalgam, gold, or the like, used to fill a cavity caused by decay in a tooth.

4. a food mixture that goes into something, as if to fill it.

   sandwich filling; pie filling.

5. Also called pick, weft, woof.  Textiles. yarn carried by the shuttle and interlacing at right angles with the warp in woven cloth.

---

filling British  

/ ˈfɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. the substance or thing used to fill a space or container

   pie filling

2. dentistry

   1. any of various substances (metal, plastic, etc) for inserting into the prepared cavity of a tooth

   2. the cavity of a tooth so filled

3. textiles another term for weft

---

adjective

1. (of food or a meal) substantial and satisfying

Other Word Forms

• self-filling
  adjective
• unfilling
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of filling

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at fill, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Filling a car with diesel remains about £26 higher than in late February, while a tank of petrol costs nearly £14 more.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Filling his water tank at a petrol station outside the city, lorry driver Abdilrashiid Adam Jamac told AFP he now had an Israeli flag hanging in his home.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

Filling that gap, we have the Internet and dozens of influencers post short montages of their latest creations, which may not necessarily pass our taste tests.

From Salon • Jan. 30, 2026

Filling your folder sometimes means fishing for compliments, which can feel awkward.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

Filling the months in the meantime posed not the slightest problem.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• dressing
• layer
• mixture
• stuffing