fill someone's shoes

verb

To do (somebody's) job; to perform or assume (somebody's) role.

“I don't think anyone could ever fill her shoes, doing all she does.”

Similar
fill someone's boots
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Meanings

verbfill someone's shoes (third-person singular simple present fills someone's shoes, present participle filling someone's shoes, simple past and past participle filled someone's shoes)

present singular third person fills someone's shoes · participle present filling someone's shoes · participle past filled someone's shoes · past filled someone's shoes

  1. idiomaticTo do (somebody's) job; to perform or assume (somebody's) role.

    I don't think anyone could ever fill her shoes, doing all she does.

    3 more examples

    You have some very large shoes to fill. I hope you know that.

    2006, Aline Brosh McKenna, Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada, spoken by Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt)

    Does he take care of you? / Or could I easily fill his shoes? / But you say no, you say no

    2012, “Sex”, performed by The 1975

    "As I was chairing a committee that had only ever been chaired by Labour women, I was fairly conscious that I was filling some fairly big shoes left behind by Louise and Gwyneth.

    2020 May 20, “Network News: A legacy of greater diversity in transport”, in Rail, page 13

    Synonyms: fill someone's boots

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo do (somebody's) job; to perform or assume (somebody's) role.

Similar
fill someone's boots
Also see
fill someone's boots

Translations

Finnish täyttää jonkun paikka, astua jonkun saappaisiin
  • täyttää jonkun paikkato do someone's job, assume somebody's role
  • astua jonkun saappaisiinto do someone's job, assume somebody's role
Polish obejmować stanowisko po kimś, objąć stanowisko po kimś
  • obejmować stanowisko po kimśto do someone's job, assume somebody's role
  • objąć stanowisko po kimśto do someone's job, assume somebody's role
Spanish estar a la altura de, ocupar el lugar de
  • estar a la altura deto do someone's job, assume somebody's role
  • ocupar el lugar deto do someone's job, assume somebody's role
Cite this entry
APA

fill someone's shoes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fill%20someone's%20shoes

MLA

“fill someone's shoes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fill%20someone's%20shoes. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fill someone's shoes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fill%20someone's%20shoes.

Source: fill someone's shoes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.