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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

backfill

“Crews then removed some of the failed pavement and moved sand to backfill and secure some of the eroded edges,” the Instagram post read.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

“We’re setting up for a multi-year recovery because in the past, cycles were shorter, because you had the ability to backfill capacity relatively quickly,” Seidl said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

The employment index contracted for the third consecutive month, as companies instituted hiring freezes or did not backfill positions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

If there is a shortfall, there’s about $840 billion in revenue from businesses—entities without claims to clean consciences—raised through customs and corporate income taxes that could be used as morally inert backfill.

From Slate ● May 11, 2026

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

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

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