Filling vs. Filing — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 19, 2023
Filling refers to a substance used to fill a space or cavity, while Filing is the process of arranging or storing documents.
Difference Between Filling and Filing
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Filling often denotes a substance, material, or content that occupies a space or cavity, providing volume or completeness. Conversely, Filing typically pertains to the action of sorting, categorizing, or storing documents, papers, or records in an organized manner.
In the culinary context, a Filling is an inner layer or stuffing, often found in pastries, sandwiches, or certain dishes. In contrast, Filing remains consistent in its definition, signifying the systematic arrangement of items, predominantly paperwork.
In dentistry, a Filling refers to the material used to restore the function and integrity of a tooth damaged by cavities. Filing, however, can be understood as the act of submitting a document or application, such as filing for a permit or license.
The word Filling can be employed in various contexts to represent the content or substance that provides volume, such as the filling of a cushion. On the other hand, Filing always retains a connotation of organization, as seen when filing taxes or paperwork.
Filling may also depict satisfaction or satiation, as in "The meal was filling." Whereas Filing might denote an action within legal or official domains, like filing a lawsuit or a patent.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Substance or content occupying space.
Process of arranging/storing documents.
Contextual Variations
Culinary, dental, volume providing.
Organizational, legal, official.
Related to
Volume, content, material.
Documents, records, applications.
Used in Phrases Like
"Pie filling", "tooth filling".
"Filing taxes", "file away".
Associative Verbs
Fill, stuff, pack.
File, arrange, categorize.
Compare with Definitions
Filling
Something that satiates or satisfies.
That meal was very filling.
Filing
(Computers) A collection of data or program records stored as a unit with a single name.
Filling
The inner layer or content of something, especially in food.
The cherry filling in the pie was delicious.
Filing
A submitted document or application.
My tax filing was accepted without any issues.
Filling
A substance added to something else to provide volume.
The filling in the pillow is very soft.
Filing
A small particle rubbed off by a file.
Metal filings covered the workshop floor.
Filling
A dental material used to restore damaged teeth.
The dentist gave me a filling in my back molar.
Filing
Officially recording something with an authority.
She's filing a complaint against the company.
Filling
A quantity of soft material that fills or is used to fill something
Duvets with synthetic fillings
Filing
A small particle rubbed off by a file when smoothing or shaping something
Iron filings
Filling
(of food) leaving one with a pleasantly satiated feeling
The full English breakfast was delicious and also very filling
Filing
A container, such as a cabinet or folder, for keeping papers in order.
Filling
An act or instance of filling.
Filing
A collection of papers or published materials kept or arranged in convenient order.
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
The content or substance that completes something.
The filling of the bookshelf took hours.
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
The action of arranging documents systematically.
The office manager is responsible for the filing of important paperwork.
Filing
The act of using a file on something.
Regular nail filing keeps them in good shape.
Common Curiosities
What might someone be referring to when discussing nail filing?
They're talking about using a file to shape or smooth the nails.
Does filling have a specific shape?
No, it conforms to the space or cavity it's meant to occupy.
Is the filling in a pie always edible?
Typically, yes. In a culinary context, a pie's filling is meant to be eaten.
Can "filling" refer to a sensation after eating?
Yes, if a meal is described as "filling," it means it's satiating.
How often should one consider filing important papers?
Regularly, to ensure they're organized and easy to find.
Can filing refer to something other than documents?
Yes, it can also mean particles produced by a file or the act of using a file.
Can a filling be temporary?
In dentistry, yes. Some fillings are temporary until a more permanent solution is applied.
What is the purpose of filing documents?
It helps in organizing, categorizing, and easily retrieving them when needed.
Does filling always refer to food?
No, filling can refer to any material that occupies space, such as in cushions or dental work.
What tools might one use for filing paperwork?
File folders, cabinets, labels, and document organizers.
Can filing be a legal action?
Yes, such as when filing a lawsuit or patent.
Does "filling" always denote fullness or completion?
Often, but not always. It denotes material occupying space, whether complete or not.
What materials can be used as filling in furniture?
Common materials include foam, feathers, polyester, and more.
Can "filling" and "filing" be used interchangeably?
No, they have distinct meanings and are not interchangeable.
Is digital filing considered "filing"?
Yes, organizing digital documents systematically is also considered filing.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
