empty 1 of 2

adjective

ˈem(p)-tē How to pronounce empty (audio)
Definition of emptynext
1
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present the refrigerator is empty, so we'll have to eat out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hungry
feeling a desire or need for food as the long car trip wore on, we all started to feel a little empty

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in meaningless
having no meaning spare me your empty apologies because if you were truly sorry, you'd change

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4
as in worthless
having no usefulness an empty task that was assigned just to keep us busy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in unsuccessful
producing no results all of the leads in the missing-person case were turning up empty

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in blank
not expressing any emotion the speaker looked out at a crowd of empty faces

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

empty

2 of 2

verb

as in to evacuate
to remove the contents of empty the room before starting to paint the ceiling

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective empty contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of empty are blank, vacant, vacuous, and void. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When might blank be a better fit than empty?

While in some cases nearly identical to empty, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When could vacant be used to replace empty?

The words vacant and empty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

When is vacuous a more appropriate choice than empty?

Although the words vacuous and empty have much in common, vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

When would void be a good substitute for empty?

The meanings of void and empty largely overlap; however, void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of empty
Adjective
To prove that White House threats aren't empty? —Arkansas Online, 10 Feb. 2026 That account remained empty Monday evening, according to the gossip site. —Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
To avoid emptying your entire backpack looking for it while 30 people behind you stare you down, do yourself a favor and order a travel document organizer. —Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026 While the crowd continued to voice their concerns to an emptying room, that unheard feeling seemed to intensify. —Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for empty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empty
  1. devoid
  2. hungry
  3. meaningless
  4. worthless
  5. unsuccessful
  6. blank
  7. evacuate
  8. barren
Adjective
  • Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.
    — Michael Abbott, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2024
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • In the simplest case, an unexpected reward (say, discovering some tasty fruit when hungry, or having someone attractive declare their love for you) causes a burst of dopamine release into a part of the basal ganglia known as the striatum—specifically, the nucleus accumbens.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Because many meals are calorie-controlled, some people may need to add snacks or sides to feel fully satisfied, since meals that are too low in calories or protein may leave you hungry.
    — Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of hungry
Adjective
  • So, wins were not a meaningless line on the stat sheet in King Félix’s heyday — but the voters in this election seemed to have a different take.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
  • But for current and past dog parents, that sentiment is far from meaningless.
    — Anna Halkidis, Parents, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of meaningless
Adjective
  • Otherwise, the cease-fire would feel worthless to many Ukrainians, merely giving Russia a chance to prepare for another invasion.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Life itself being worthless, all things with it, that feed it, are worthless.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of worthless
Adjective
  • The Star-Telegram attempted to reach Atkins for comment, but was unsuccessful.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Last year, the moderate Democrat took on a crowded field of candidates in an unsuccessful bid to become New York City mayor.
    — Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of unsuccessful
Adjective
  • Too Much Wall Art Wall art is a great way to make a space feel more complete, but don't be afraid to leave some blank space here and there.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
  • From crisp cutouts decorated in royal icing, to soft and cakey sugar cookies, or even sugar cookies bars, the simple vanilla dough is a blank canvas for all sorts of designs and flavors.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of blank
Verb
  • The Crew-12 mission was bumped up a few days so the astronauts can get to an understaffed space station after the mission's Crew-11 predecessors were medically evacuated in mid-January.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The campus, also described as a high school, was evacuated.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of evacuate
Adjective
  • The few remaining individuals live in barren, rugged terrain at high elevations.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • In other games during the barren run, chances have been created and squandered.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of barren

Phrases Containing empty

Browse Nearby Words

emptiness
empty
empty-headed
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Cite this Entry

“Empty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on empty

Nglish: Translation of empty for Spanish Speakers

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