Fill in meaning
Fill in means to write the information a form asks for. It can also mean to do someone’s job for a short time while they are away.
fill something in
fill in · filled · filling
Please fill in this form and sign at the bottom.
Fill in meanings and examples
4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Write the information a form asks for
fill something in
- Please fill in this form and sign at the bottom.
- I filled the application in online last night.
- You didn’t fill in your phone number.
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2
Do someone’s job for a short time while they are away
fill in
- I’m filling in for Ana while she’s on holiday.
- Who’s going to fill in if the teacher is sick?
- Can you fill in at the café on Saturday?
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3
Tell someone the news they missed
fill somebody or something in
- I missed the meeting. Can you fill me in?
- She filled us in on the plans for the party.
- Has anyone filled the new guy in yet?
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4
Put something into a hole or empty space until it is full
fill something in
- We filled in the old pond with soil.
- Fill in the cracks before you paint the wall.
- Colour the shape and fill it in neatly.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use fill in in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is fill in separable?
Fill in is separable: fill in the form or fill the form in. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: fill it in. When it means do someone’s job, there is no object: use fill in for someone.
For forms, UK English says fill in and US English often says fill out; both are understood. Fill someone in on something means tell them the news.
Verb tenses for fill in
| Present | I fill in · she fills in |
|---|---|
| Past | filled in |
| Present perfect | have filled in |
| -ing form | filling in |
Common mistakes with fill in
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Here’s the form. Please fill in it.
Right: Here’s the form. Please fill it in.
A pronoun goes between fill and in.
Wrong: I’m filling in Tom this week.
Right: I’m filling in for Tom this week.
When you do someone’s job, use fill in for.
Wrong: Can you fill me in about the meeting?
Right: Can you fill me in on the meeting?
The usual pattern is fill someone in on something.
Synonyms and opposites of fill in
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- fill outthe same for forms, more common in US English
- completethe formal word on official forms
- cover fordo someone’s job while they are away
Opposite
- leave blanknot write anything in a space
- dig outremove earth to make a hole
Fill in quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1To join the library, you have to ___ a short form.
Fill in a form means write the information it asks for.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use fill in for someone when you do their job.
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3“I was away last week. Fill me in!” What does the speaker want?
Fill someone in means tell them what they missed.
More phrasal verbs with fill
2 phrasal verbs start with fill. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Fill in FAQ
Questions people ask about fill in.
Fill in or fill out a form?
Both are correct. Fill in is more British, fill out is more American. Fill up is wrong for forms.
What does fill me in mean?
It means please tell me what happened while I was not there: Fill me in on the gossip!
What is a fill-in?
A fill-in is a person who does a job for a short time: She’s a fill-in for the usual presenter.
Use fill in in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.