fill in

What does "fill in" mean?

1. To complete a form by writing information in spaces
2. To give someone information they need to know
3. To substitute for someone temporarily
4. To add material to complete something

Examples

• Please fill in all the required fields on this form.
• Can you fill me in on what happened at the meeting?
• I'll fill in for Sarah while she's on vacation.
• We need to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.
• Fill in your name and address at the top.

How to use it

'Fill in' is British/Canadian English for completing forms. American English often uses 'fill out'. 'Fill me in' is informal for 'tell me what happened'.

Word order

For forms: separable ('fill the form in'). For informing: 'fill someone in on'. For substituting: 'fill in for someone'.

Similar expressions

Opposites

Related phrasal verbs

• fill out

  To complete a form or document

• fill up

  To make something completely full

• get in

  To enter a place, building, or vehicle

• turn in

  To go to bed (informal)

• give in

  To finally agree to something after refusing or resisting

• bring in

  To introduce or implement something new