Filling vs. Filing: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Published on October 11, 2023
Filling is adding or placing material inside something; Filing is arranging or submitting documents systematically.
Key Differences
Filling is the act of putting something inside to occupy space, often to capacity. It can refer to substances, materials, or content used to fill a particular space or container. On the other hand, Filing relates to documents or records and the method by which they are organized or stored.
Filling can refer to the content inside pastries, cushions, teeth, or any other space. This could be cream in a doughnut or cotton in a pillow. Filing, in its common form, relates to office procedures, where papers are arranged in a specific order, typically in folders or digital systems.
Filling has a more tactile, material-focused connotation. It involves physical substances and materials that fill up spaces, voids, or gaps. In contrast, Filing is an act of organization, categorizing, or submitting. It’s about creating a system or order, primarily for documents.
When a dentist talks about Filling, they are referring to the material used to fill cavities in teeth. However, when that same dentist is talking about Filing, they might be discussing the process of keeping patient records in order.
While Filling is about completing or making something whole by adding content, Filing ensures that recor
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Adding or placing material inside something
Arranging or submitting documents systematically
Contextual Examples
Pastries, teeth, cushions
Offices, legal systems, cabinets
Common Phrases
"A filling for a pie"
"Filing a complaint"
Parts of Speech
Noun (most commonly)
Verb (action), Noun (system or act)
Associated Actions
Inserting, stuffing, completing
Organizing, categorizing, storing
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Filling and Filing Definitions
Filling
Act of making something full.
The filling of the tank took an hour.
Filing
Act of organizing and storing documents.
The office is responsible for filing all paperwork.
Filling
Material used to fill cavities in teeth.
I had a filling done at the dentist today.
Filing
A collection of related documents.
The filing for that project is in the top drawer.
Filling
Ingredient inside pastries or sandwiches.
The pie has an apple filling.
Filing
A container, such as a cabinet or folder, for keeping papers in order.
Filling
Substance placed inside something.
The filling of the pillow is feathers.
Filing
A collection of papers or published materials kept or arranged in convenient order.
Filling
An act or instance of filling.
Filing
(Computers) A collection of data or program records stored as a unit with a single name.
Filling
Something used to fill a space, cavity, or container
A gold filling in a tooth.
Filing
A line of persons, animals, or things positioned one behind the other.
Filling
An edible mixture used to fill pastries, sandwiches, or cakes. See Note at frosting.
Filing
A line of troops or military vehicles so positioned.
Filling
The horizontal threads that cross the warp in weaving; weft.
Filing
(Games) Any of the rows of squares that run forward and backward between players on a playing board in chess or checkers.
Filling
Present participle of fill
Filing
(Archaic) A list or roll.
Filling
Of food, that satisfies the appetite by filling the stomach.
A filling meal
Filing
An official document that is filed with a court, government agency, or other legal or political institution.
Filling
Anything that is used to fill something.
Filing
Any of several hardened steel tools with cutting ridges for forming, smoothing, or reducing especially metallic surfaces.
Filling
The contents of a pie, etc.
Filing
A nail file.
Filling
(dentistry) Any material used to fill a cavity in a tooth or the result of using such material.
I will be using a rapid-setting cement filling.
My temporary filling fell out and got lost.
Filing
Chiefly British A crafty or artful person.
Filling
The woof in woven fabrics.
Filing
The act or an instance of using a file.
Filling
Prepared wort added to ale to cleanse it.
Filing
A particle or shaving removed by a file
Metal filings.
Filling
(Protestantism) A religious experience attributed to the Holy Ghost "filling" a believer.
Filing
To put or keep (papers, for example) in useful order for storage or reference.
Filling
That which is used to fill a cavity or any empty space, or to supply a deficiency; as, filling for a cavity in a tooth, a depression in a roadbed, the space between exterior and interior walls of masonry, the pores of open-grained wood, the space between the outer and inner planks of a vessel, etc.
Filing
To enter (a legal document) as an official record.
Filling
The woof in woven fabrics.
Filing
To send or submit (copy) to a newspaper.
Filling
Prepared wort added to ale to cleanse it.
Filing
To initiate (a lawsuit)
File a complaint.
File charges.
Filling
Any material that fills a space or container;
There was not enough fill for the trench
Filing
To march or walk in a line.
Filling
Flow into something (as a container)
Filing
To put items in a file.
Filling
(dentistry) a dental appliance consisting of any of various substances (as metal or plastic) inserted into a prepared cavity in a tooth;
When he yawned I could see the gold fillings in his teeth
An informal British term for `filling' is `stopping'
Filing
To make application; apply
Filed for a job with the state.
File for a divorce.
Filling
A food mixture used to fill pastry or sandwiches etc.
Filing
To enter one's name in a political contest
Filed for Congress.
Filling
The yarn woven across the warp yarn in weaving
Filing
To smooth, reduce, or remove with or as if with a file.
Filling
The act of filling something
Filing
To sully or defile.
Filling
Material inside garments for warmth.
The jacket has a down filling.
Filing
Any particle that has been removed by a file or similar implement; a shaving.
The process left metal filings all over the bench and the part.
Filing
The act of storing documents in an archive; archiving.
Filing
Something that has been officially filed; a document on file.
Filing
Present participle of file
Filing
A fragment or particle rubbed off by the act of filing; as, iron filings.
Filing
The entering of a legal document into the public record;
He filed a complaint
He filed his tax return
Filing
A fragment rubbed off by the use of a file
Filing
The act of using a file (as in shaping or smoothing an object)
Filing
Preservation and methodical arrangement as of documents and papers etc.;
I have some filing to do
Filing
Act of officially submitting.
I am filing my taxes today.
Filing
A tool to smooth or shape material.
I used a filing to smoothen the wood.
Filing
Submitting legal documents.
His attorney is filing a motion in court.
FAQs
What's the main idea behind Filing?
Filing involves organizing or submitting documents systematically.
Is Filing always about paperwork?
No, it can also refer to using a tool on materials, like wood or metal.
What is the primary meaning of Filling?
Filling refers to a substance or material placed inside something.
Can Filling be related to food?
Yes, such as the cream in a doughnut or the meat in a sandwich.
Can Filing be a verb?
Yes, like when you are filing documents away.
Are fillings always solid?
No, they can be liquid, like a filling in a beverage bottle.
Can Filing refer to a collection of documents?
Yes, it can denote a set of related records or papers.
How is Filling used in dentistry?
It's a material used to fill cavities or repair teeth.
Is Filing always done physically?
No, digital files on computers are also organized by filing.
What's a common use of Filling in homes?
Cushions and pillows often have different types of filling for comfort.
Can Filing mean submitting something?
Yes, such as filing a complaint or filing taxes.
How is Filling related to tanks or reservoirs?
It refers to the process of adding liquid or gas until full.
Where do you often hear about Filing in a legal sense?
When submitting documents or motions in court.
Can Filing be about shaping?
Yes, like using a file to shape wood or metal.
Is a filling always visible?
No, fillings can be internal and not seen, like in some toys or furniture.
Can the act of Filling be about satisfaction?
Yes, like filling a need or desire.
Can Filling be associated with clothing?
Yes, especially when talking about materials inside garments for warmth.
What's the connection between Filling and gaps?
Filling can be used to fill or cover up spaces, voids, or gaps.
How is Filing related to order?
Filing creates a systematic order, making access to documents easier.
What's a common tool associated with Filing?
A file, often used to smoothen or shape material.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
