fill-in
noun
a person or thing that fills in, as a substitute, replacement, or insertion.
fill-in
American
[fil-in]
/ ˈfɪlˌɪn /
noun
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fill-ins
plural
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a person or thing that fills in, as a substitute, replacement, or insertion.
The company used a fill-in for workers on vacation.
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a brief, informative summary; a rundown.
fill in
British
verb
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(tr) to complete (a form, drawing, etc)
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(intr) to act as a substitute
a girl is filling in while the typist is away
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(tr) to put material into (a hole or cavity), esp so as to make it level with a surface
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informal (tr) to inform with facts or news
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slang (tr) to attack and injure severely
noun
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a substitute
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informal a briefing to complete one's understanding
fill in
Idioms
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Complete something, especially by supplying more information or detail. For example, Be sure to fill in your salary history . It is also put as fill in the blanks , as in We'll rely on Mary to fill in the blanks . Yet another related usage is fill someone in , as in I couldn't attend, so will you fill me in? The first term dates from the mid-1800s; the others from the first half of the 1900s. Also see fill out .
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Also, fill in for . Take someone's place, substitute for. For example, The understudy had to fill in at the last minute , or I can't come but my wife will fill in for me . Also see fill someone's shoes .
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of fill-in
First recorded in 1915–20; noun use of verb phrase fill in
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
When their All-Star forward Jalen Williams suffered a hamstring injury, they had an appropriate fill-in to call upon: a backup big man named, coincidentally, Jaylin Williams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
He will also serve as a lead correspondent for “48 Hours,” contribute to “60 Minutes,” and act as a fill-in anchor for CBS’s flagship broadcasts, she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
He has been brought to Washington several times in recent years for fill-in work at the anchor desk and a permanent role there is likely in his future.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025
Cummins may return for the second Test, and for now Scott Boland is a capable fill-in with an outstanding record in Australia.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
This one was a last-minute fill-in for a famous violinist who’d gone down with the flu.
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
It will also be fascinating to see if he gets asked to fill in at left-back too.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
The team acquired Thomas, who’s strong defensively but has some big cleats to fill in replacing the offensive production of Pages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
A remarkably rare fossil studied by University of Oklahoma paleontologists is now helping fill in part of that missing picture.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Yet many companies have been waiting for the Treasury Department and IRS to fill in the blanks on the rules for contributions from employers and employees.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
He also wasn’t supposed to let me, a nonentity on loan from JV, fill in for him.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Those fill-ins, nicknamed the Spare Bears, went 2-1 in their three games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2025
Maxwell noted that his work had been covered by knowledgeable fill-ins from out of state.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2025
In one sense, Stewart is the latest in a line of celebrity fill-ins who have hosted “The Daily Show” since Trevor Noah left in December 2022.
From New York Times ● Feb. 13, 2024
McAvoy was one of three regulars on the blue line that the Bruins didn’t have, making the performance of fill-ins like rookie Lohrei even more impressive.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 3, 2023
The conga drum player was especially wild, playing insane fill-ins all over the place.
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
