backfill

American  

[bak-fil] / ˈbækˌfɪl /

noun

1. material used for refilling an excavation.

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verb (used with object)

1. to refill (an excavation).

2. to make up for a loss or shortfall of supplies or funds.

   It is illegal to backfill the state budget with federal emergency funds.

3. to fill (a recently vacated position), often with an internal candidate or temp.

backfill British  

/ ˈbækˌfɪl /

verb

1. (tr) to refill an excavated trench, esp (in archaeology) at the end of an investigation

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noun

1. the soil used to do this

Etymology

Origin of backfill

First recorded in 1950–55; back ² + fill

Example Sentences

Shaun Keaveny, host of The Rock Show, will backfill the slot until the end of March.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Other reports obtained by The Times describe federal cleanup workers, on multiple occasions, using ash-contaminated soil to backfill holes and smooth out uneven portions of fire-destroyed properties in the Palisades burn scar.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025

"Businesses need to control the money to prevent local authorities using it to backfill the reduction in services."

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

The BLS and other statistical agencies could try to backfill and make some educated guesses, but it’s no panacea.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 13, 2025

At Intuit, every time a job comes open, managers are pushed to justify why they need to backfill it, said Sandeep Aujla, the company’s chief financial officer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025