empty
containing nothing; having none of the usual or appropriate contents: an empty bottle.
having no occupant or occupants; vacant; unoccupied: an empty house.
without cargo or load: an empty wagon.
destitute of people or human activity: We walked along the empty streets of the city at night.
destitute of some quality or qualities; devoid (usually followed by of): Theirs is a life now empty of happiness.
without force, effect, or significance; hollow; meaningless: empty compliments; empty pleasures.
not employed in useful activity or work; idle: empty summer days.
hungry: I'm feeling rather empty—let's have lunch.
completely spent of emotion: The experience had left him with an empty heart.
to make empty; deprive of contents; discharge the contents of: to empty a bucket.
to discharge (contents): to empty the water out of a bucket.
to become empty: The room emptied rapidly after the lecture.
to discharge contents, as a river: The river empties into the sea.
Informal. something that is empty, as a box, bottle, or can: Throw the empties into the waste bin.
Origin of empty
1synonym study For empty
Other words for empty
Opposites for empty
Other words from empty
- emp·ti·a·ble, adjective
- emp·ti·er, noun
- emp·ti·ly, adverb
- emp·ti·ness, noun
- o·ver·emp·ty, adjective
- qua·si-emp·ty, adjective
- self-emp·ty·ing, adjective
- un·emp·tied, adjective
- un·emp·ty, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use empty in a sentence
The melancholy bleeds into the beautiful, without emptily aestheticizing for effect.
Photographer Raymond Depardon Captures the ‘Sweet Moments’ | Sarah Moroz | November 15, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTBut when a common fellow emptily asks me anything, I tap it on this side and that, and sift it to the bottom.
The Sayings Of Confucius | ConfuciusThe world seemed emptily open before her once more, chill and lonely as the autumn morning.
Elizabeth's Campaign | Mrs. Humphrey WardIt fell on its back—a dead face covered with blood staring emptily at the ceiling.
Erik Dorn | Ben HechtThe spritsail flapped emptily and the boat righted to an even keel, causing the two men swiftly to change position.
The Sea-Wolf | Jack London
Who would have thought that the day that began so emptily would end with two of my rooms full,—each containing a widow?
In the Mountains | Elizabeth von Arnim
British Dictionary definitions for empty
/ (ˈɛmptɪ) /
containing nothing
without inhabitants; vacant or unoccupied
carrying no load, passengers, etc
without purpose, substance, or value: an empty life
insincere or trivial: empty words
not expressive or vital; vacant: she has an empty look
informal hungry
(postpositive foll by of) devoid; destitute: a life empty of happiness
informal drained of energy or emotion: after the violent argument he felt very empty
maths logic (of a set or class) containing no members
philosophy logic (of a name or description) having no reference
to make or become empty
(when intr, foll by into) to discharge (contents)
(tr often foll by of) to unburden or rid (oneself): to empty oneself of emotion
an empty container, esp a bottle
Origin of empty
1Derived forms of empty
- emptiable, adjective
- emptier, noun
- emptily, adverb
- emptiness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with empty
In addition to the idioms beginning with empty
- empty calories
- empty nest
- empty suit
also see:
- glass is half full (half empty)
- running on empty
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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