empty-handed
adjective
emp·ty-hand·ed
ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: having or bringing nothing
2
: having acquired or gained nothing
came back empty-handed
Examples of empty-handed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Miami can’t afford to leave this draft empty-handed at the position because that would mean Kader Kohou, Cam Smith, Storm Duck and Ethan Bonner are the team’s top cornerbacks.
—
Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
The cast doesn’t arrive empty-handed, emotionally speaking.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Apr. 2025
Those thousands of loaves disappear quickly in the last hour of the day’s fast, and customers seeking specific flavors may walk away empty-handed.
—Kiana Hayeri, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
The Broadway revival, which received mostly positive reviews, received only one 2024 Tony Award nomination (for Best Musical Revival) and went home empty-handed.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empty-handed
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Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
The cast doesn’t arrive empty-handed, emotionally speaking.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 22 Apr. 2025
Those thousands of loaves disappear quickly in the last hour of the day’s fast, and customers seeking specific flavors may walk away empty-handed.
—Kiana Hayeri, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
The Broadway revival, which received mostly positive reviews, received only one 2024 Tony Award nomination (for Best Musical Revival) and went home empty-handed.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empty-handed
Cite this Entry
“Empty-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty-handed. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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