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

"I'm disappointed that there hasn't been the investment in the health services and mental health services to ensure that there's a backfill, alternative service," she added.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

To backfill some of the loss in research funding, proponents say Proposition 38 will create a stable source of funding for scientists and medical experts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 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

Yet along the way there’s been an attempt by economists to backfill formal theoretical justifications for the relatively new status quo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 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

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