1
as in loading
to put into (something) as much as can be held or contained
fill the basket with apples
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in packing
to close up so that no empty spaces remain
before starting to paint, fill all the cracks with putty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fulfilling
to do what is required by the terms of
orders received by this date will be filled in time for Christmas delivery of the merchandise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of filling
Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
People affected by the water main break can get clean water at two different water filling stations in Upper Chichester and Marcus Hook.
—Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Sanjay Srivastava, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Kate Perez, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Tune Into the Rhythm of Filipino Festivals After a nearly three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, festivals across the Philippines are once again taking the stage, filling up the events calendar with vivacious celebrations of local culture and tradition.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for filling
Noun
Restorative services — fillings, root canals, crowns and dentures — were eliminated under those cuts.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
People affected by the water main break can get clean water at two different water filling stations in Upper Chichester and Marcus Hook.
—Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Automation could help at the margins — routing requests, pre-filling forms, or suggesting knowledge-base articles — but the core work still had to be done by people.
—Sanjay Srivastava, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
The delivery service's new program is set to offer 10% cash back to DoorDash Dashers filling up on gas, including those who use DoorDash cards.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Tune Into the Rhythm of Filipino Festivals After a nearly three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, festivals across the Philippines are once again taking the stage, filling up the events calendar with vivacious celebrations of local culture and tradition.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for filling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for filling
Noun
-
Traditionally, this dessert asks you to (1) swaddle hot cake in a kitchen towel; (2) roll, cool, and unroll it to set the shape; then (3) fill and reroll it with bated breath.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The rocket will go through multiple phases of fueling, referred to as slow fill, fast fill, topping and replenishing.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Earlier, officers were seen loading several people into a vehicle along the same stretch of street.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
On Wednesday, a jury in California determined that Meta and YouTube were responsible for loading their social media platforms with addictive features that harmed the mental health of a minor.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Read on for the golden rules of packing.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Injury report While the Cubs head to Cleveland, right fielder Seiya Suzuki is packing his bags to Double-A Knoxville for a rehab stint.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Force majeure is a legal term that refers to unforeseeable circumstances preventing a company from fulfilling a contract.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The most creatively fulfilling campaigns to produce can often become those best suited to capture an audience’s imagination and, as a result, their attention.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Spreading protein across breakfast, lunch and dinner also works better than cramming it into one meal.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The plush red seats of the Concertgebouw's main auditorium are occupied by students cramming for upcoming exams and finishing dissertations as classical music fills the hall.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
No one in my generation remembers the huge labor force of switchboard operators, but in the 1950s there were 340,000 workers physically plugging cords into jacks to connect callers to one another (roughly equivalent to the number of dental assistants today).—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The latter two moves shore up the bottom of the roster, plugging the last remaining holes this team has, while the Kadri add is arguably the biggest needle-moving acquisition of the deadline.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, the Light Mount's volume knob is easy to access and satisfying to use, a much more intuitive design than the volume roller on the pricier Dark Mount.—
Aubrey Jowers,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Serve it with rice and watercress for a complete, satisfying meal.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In its all-too-human view of life, this is, entertainingly, whatever the opposite of a cloying graduation speech is.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Plus, the jojoba oil gives it a light, inoffensive smell that’s heavenly to inhale compared to the strong, cloying scents of other men’s products.—
Irene Richardson,
InStyle,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Filling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/filling. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
