refill

1 of 2

verb

re·​fill (ˌ)rē-ˈfil How to pronounce refill (audio)
refilled; refilling; refills
Synonyms of refillnext

transitive verb

: to fill again : replenish

intransitive verb

: to become filled again
refillable
(ˌ)rē-ˈfi-lə-bəl How to pronounce refill (audio)
adjective

refill

2 of 2

noun

re·​fill ˈrē-ˌfil How to pronounce refill (audio)
1
: a product or a container and a product used to refill the exhausted supply of a device
2
: something provided again
especially : a second or later filling of a medical prescription

Examples of refill in a Sentence

Verb He refilled his glass from the nearby pitcher. The reservoir will refill once it begins raining.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Countertop footprint matters, too, since smaller machines refill more often while larger models trade convenience for capacity. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The potential workaround Oil industry analysts believe a possible plan to refill the SPR with Venezuelan oil could be done in the form of similar exchanges. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
The soda option, which includes free refills, remains available. — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Beyond the hero device, Dyson is positioning the CameraJet as the first piece of a larger Dyson Dental System that includes formulation bundles and, eventually, subscriptions for refills. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refill

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of refill was in 1615

Rhymes for refill

See All Rhymes for refill

Browse Nearby Words

refile
refill
refilm
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Refill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refill. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

refill

1 of 2 verb
re·​fill (ˈ)rē-ˈfil How to pronounce refill (audio)
: to fill or become filled again
refillable
-ˈfil-ə-bəl How to pronounce refill (audio)
adjective

refill

2 of 2 noun
re·​fill ˈrē-ˌfil How to pronounce refill (audio)
: a new or fresh supply of something
a refill for a ball-point pen

Medical Definition

refill

1 of 2 transitive verb
re·​fill (ˈ)rē-ˈfil How to pronounce refill (audio)
: to fill (a prescription) a second or subsequent time

refill

2 of 2 noun
re·​fill ˈrē-ˌfil How to pronounce refill (audio)
1
: a replacement in a cavity of removed liquid or other material or a substitution (as of gas) for such material
pneumothorax refill
2
: a prescription compounded and dispensed for a second or subsequent time without an order from the physician

More from Merriam-Webster on refill

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for refill

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