filling - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
filling Word Meanings
- to make something full
- to occupy space
- to complete a form with information
filling Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
filling Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/fɪl/
US
/fɪl/
filling Word Etymology
fill = full + in (cause to become full); Origin: Old English 'fyllan', from Proto-Germanic. Memory image: Picture a glass being filled to the brim with water.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I reach for the cup, tilt my wrist, and push the liquid to move toward the center. The space inside grows bit by bit as the liquid fills, and I adjust my grip to keep the flow steady. It feels like a small test of control, a quiet turn of the wrist that makes room for more. Later, that same feeling comes when I fill out a form: I hold the cursor, set in the fields, and the page fills with my words.
Real Context
Fill is a versatile verb with several related senses. The primary sense is to cause a container or space to become full: fill the glass, fill the shelf with books, or fill the tank with gas. A second sense is to occupy space or time: the crowd filled the square, the event filled a whole afternoon. A third sense is to complete a form or questionnaire by providing required information: fill in the form, fill out the application. These uses share a core idea of making something reach capacity or completion. Note the phrasal verbs fill in, fill out, fill up; choose the correct one by context.
Usage Reminders
- - Use fill for making something full or completing a space.
- - Use fill in for providing information on a form; use fill out for the whole form.
- - Use fill up for containers or spaces that become full.
- - Do not use fill to describe emotions alone; say filled with emotion or full of emotion.
- - Remember common collocations: fill the gap, fill the glass, fill in the blanks.
Common Misconceptions
- Thinking fill means only 'to become full' and not 'to complete' or 'to provide information'
- Confusing fill in with fill out when completing forms
- Using fill for emotions instead of 'be filled with' / 'full of'
- Mistaking fill for fill up in contexts of containers vs spaces
- Fearing fill is only a physical action; ignore its abstract uses like 'fill a gap' or 'fill time'
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker: fill spans physical filling and abstract completion; learners must distinguish fill in/out, fill up, and fill with; watch collocations like fill the gap, fill the tank, fill a form.
Learning Tips
- Learn the main senses: fill (make full), fill (occupy space), and fill (complete forms).
- Distinguish fill in vs fill out when handling forms.
- Remember fill up for containers and be careful not to overfill.
- Use be filled with / full of for emotions, not fill alone.
- Practice collocations: fill the gap, fill the glass, fill time.
- Listen for context to pick the right phrasal verb (fill in/out/up).
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'filling'?
A.Containing nothing
B.Giving off light
C.Making a tunnel
D.Adding substance to a space
Step 2: Usage
In which sentence is 'filling' used correctly?
A.The teacher spent time filling out forms.
B.He filled the bucket with air.
C.The baker forgot the filling ingredients.
D.She watched the filling clouds disappear.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is an antonym of 'filling'?
A.Emptying
B.Building
C.Fermenting
D.Undulating
Step 4: Opposite Words
In what real-life context would you encounter the word 'filling'?
A.Painting a landscape
B.Running a marathon
C.Dentist appointment for a cavity filling
D.Writing a poem
Step 5: Mastery
Reflect on a situation where having a 'filling' experience would be important.
A.Trying a new cuisine
B.Attending a job interview
C.Going on a road trip
D.Meeting a famous person
Related Listening
🌱 Lite (Beginner)
🔥 Advanced
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