as in substitute
a person or thing that takes the place of another
I'm just a fill-in, so I have no idea where office supplies are kept
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to inform
to give information to
my friend quickly filled me in on the portion of the movie that I had missed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to substitute
to serve as a replacement usually for a time only
she's only filling in while the regular secretary is on vacation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of fill-in
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Part of Torre loved being a fill-in, riding the wave of success that others had built.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Ben Davies and Archie Gray — two players at the opposite ends of their careers — both tried hard there when filling in last season, doing their best in a role that is not their speciality.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Noun
Quinn has been the fill-in coach for games when Spoelstra has not be available.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Part of Torre loved being a fill-in, riding the wave of success that others had built.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Verb
Veteran journeyman Abraham Toro has been filling in.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Ben Davies and Archie Gray — two players at the opposite ends of their careers — both tried hard there when filling in last season, doing their best in a role that is not their speciality.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fill-in
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fill-in
Noun
-
The call is for more person-to-person clienteling, which can be aided by AI, yet AI is no substitute for the personal connection.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
But what really rankles is the idea that these digital interlocutors are a plausible substitute for real friends or family.—
Paul Bloom,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
For over 50 years, Travel + Leisure has informed and inspired millions of travelers, offering practical advice, essential travel news, and personal narratives from our network of on-the-ground writers around the world.—
Jamie Hergenrader,
Travel + Leisure,
15 July 2025
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Post-Earnings Positioning: Conversely, traders can wait for the earnings announcement and then evaluate the relationship between immediate and medium-term returns to inform their subsequent trading actions.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the last men standing in the Wimbledon final, revving up for another edition of their growing rivalry on the biggest stage in the sport.—
The Athletic Tennis Staff,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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In the video, Kotb, 60, can be seen clapping as a friend brings Waffles out of a car to her daughters, who are standing in their driveway waiting to meet their new furry friend.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
For the most part, he's either entered a game as a defensive replacement, a pinch-runner, or as a pinch-hitter in a blowout.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
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And 22-year-old Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero was named as the replacement for Alex Bregman of the Boston Red Sox, who’s on the IL with a strained quad.—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Sources familiar with the matter tell The Hollywood Reporter that the projections for the album — his seventh full-length — are estimated at about 150,000 to 160,000 album equivalent units for week one, while Hits magazine is projecting 175,000 units.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
13 July 2025
-
In Pakistan, her mother told her to set aside any pocket money and, once it’s accumulated, buy 24-karat gold coins.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Kentucky State Police is now taking over the investigation for the shootings off Terminal Drive and Old Lexington Road.—
Stephanie Kuzydym,
The Courier-Journal,
14 July 2025
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Wilks takes over a Jets defense that returns eight starters from a team that finished third in yards allowed (313.8).—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Most majors have a video review system as a backup to any close calls.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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If their current cash cow model is under threat, new ones should be developed as a backup.—
Zain Jaffer,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
Millions of people across the United States have been advised to limit outdoors activity amid concerns over high air pollution levels.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
-
Redmond advises measuring the length, width, and height of your space, then determining where your sofa will be situated.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fill-in.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fill-in. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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