fill out
Britishverb
-
to make or become fuller, thicker, or rounder
her figure has filled out since her marriage
-
to make more substantial
the writers were asked to fill their stories out
-
(tr) to complete (a form, application, etc)
-
Complete by supplying required information, especially in writing. For example, Please fill out the application form , or I don't quite understand this drawing, so fill out the details . [Late 1800s]
-
Become enlarged, distended, rounded in outline. For example, The wind filled out the sails , or He's put on weight and really filled out . Applied to objects, this expression dates from about 1700, but to persons or animals becoming fatter, only from the late 1800s.
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.
To apply for the deferment, homeowners need to fill out the “Misfortune and Calamity relief” form online from the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office website.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
"But for me, who's never had a college education, who's never written an essay before, having to write personal statements, fill out CVs, it's been very daunting."
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Teradyne, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments, and Cadence Design Systems fill out the top five performers year-to-date.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
When they got jobs, I helped them fill out the direct-deposit forms, showing them how to find the routing and account numbers, and, yes, patiently explaining the meaning and correct usage of said routing number.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Mr. Whipple and his assistant superintendent set aside their overcoats and unfolded forms they meant to fill out.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
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.
