1
as in hunger
a need or desire for food
the emptiness that usually sets in about three o'clock in the afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in void
empty space
there in the vast emptiness of the desert was a long-abandoned jeep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vacancy
the quality or state of being empty
the emptiness of the interior of the isolated house just made it seem all the more eerie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of emptiness
The emptiness gives her space to think.
—
Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
Voisin — who played another hero of a French classic in Xavier Giannoli’s 2021 adaptation of Balzac’s Lost Illusions — carries the entire drama as a lost soul whose physical beauty (perfect jawline, killer abs) can hardly conceal the emptiness inside of him.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
When Scout died, Watson was left grappling with an emptiness that followed her home each day.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In such moments, silence is not considered emptiness at all.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
All the episodes feature people talking about water, which seems at least in the first two sections to denote a kind of mental (or even emotional) emptiness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2025
Fog had moved in, transforming The Gorge into a sea of haunting emptiness.
—Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Israelis perhaps will awaken to the emptiness and absurdity of their military victories.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
The impersonality of the synth and its aural emptiness met its perfect match in Burgess’s book and Kubrick’s groundbreaking film.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
Voisin — who played another hero of a French classic in Xavier Giannoli’s 2021 adaptation of Balzac’s Lost Illusions — carries the entire drama as a lost soul whose physical beauty (perfect jawline, killer abs) can hardly conceal the emptiness inside of him.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
When Scout died, Watson was left grappling with an emptiness that followed her home each day.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In such moments, silence is not considered emptiness at all.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
All the episodes feature people talking about water, which seems at least in the first two sections to denote a kind of mental (or even emotional) emptiness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2025
Fog had moved in, transforming The Gorge into a sea of haunting emptiness.
—Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Israelis perhaps will awaken to the emptiness and absurdity of their military victories.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
The impersonality of the synth and its aural emptiness met its perfect match in Burgess’s book and Kubrick’s groundbreaking film.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emptiness
Noun
-
And the hunger for something like that seems to be out there — look at those Oasis shows.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
19 Sep. 2025
-
And the universal meal system does reduce stigma and hunger, according to a $7 million study the state commissioned from the Nutrition Policy Institute.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Unfortunately, the opening sketch didn’t offer much to fill the void.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
-
That unit didn’t have time to find a rhythm as Odegaard came off injured after 18 minutes, but like against Leeds United, Ethan Nwaneri was the player to fill the void.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Republicans have a 219-212 edge in the House, with four vacancies.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Sep. 2025
-
The authors of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution established and explained the complete order of presidential succession, as well as a series of contingency plans to fill any executive vacancies.—
Lynn Schmidt,
Twin Cities,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Such resilience is essential for medical devices that must endure the acidic conditions of the human stomach.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Another medium-firm option that will deliver crucial neck support is Casper’s original pillow, which is great for all types of sleepers like our contributor Madeleine Luckel, who snoozes on both of her sides, her back, and stomach.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His beam wavered on a patch of blankness, or the corner of an amp, and then began to roam the stage in desperation, scanning here and scanning there—until, from the darkness, the voice of Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden’s singer, was heard.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This can leave a certain blankness at the film’s center, but Seyfried’s performance ably fills in the emotional details.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In the thermal vacuum (TVAC), the duo battled with the punishing extremes of space — intense heat, bitter cold, and the absolute vacuum — within a specialized chamber on Earth.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Dust around ceilings and sweep and vacuum frequently to discourage spiders from setting up shop indoors.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Polls of job approval are routinely used by political strategists to assess the public's appetite for change and can affect fundraising, candidate recruitment and messaging heading into midterm contests.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Its planned debut comes amid an influx of big cybersecurity deals and during a resurgence in IPO activity after soaring inflation and interest rates squashed appetite for tech deals.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Watkins ranks second among forwards for shots in the box (eight) but has failed to convert one big chance during this string of blanks.—
Holly Shand,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
-
While live-feed viewers were already in the know on some of what went down, the latest episode filled in the blanks on Tuesday.—
Carson Blackwelder,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Emptiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emptiness. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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