empty

[ emp-tee ]

/ ˈɛmp ti /

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See synonyms for: empty / emptied / emptying / emptily on Thesaurus.com

adjective, emp·ti·er, emp·ti·est.

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.

Mathematics. (of a set) containing no elements; null; void.

hungry: I'm feeling rather empty—let's have lunch.

without knowledge or sense; frivolous; senseless: an empty head.

completely spent of emotion: The experience had left him with an empty heart.

verb (used with object), emp·tied, emp·ty·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), emp·tied, emp·ty·ing.

to become empty: The room emptied rapidly after the lecture.

to discharge contents, as a river: The river empties into the sea.

noun, plural emp·ties.

Informal. something that is empty, as a box, bottle, or can: Throw the empties into the waste bin.

OTHER WORDS FOR empty

6 barren, bootless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, pointless, useless, vain.

12 clear, unload.

See synonyms for empty on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR empty

1 full.

See antonyms for empty on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of empty

First recorded before 900; Middle English (with intrusive -p- ); Old English ǣm(et)tig “vacant,” from ǣm(et)ta “rest, leisure” (ǣ- a-³ + unattested Germanic mōtithō “accommodation”; cf. must¹, meet¹) + -ig -y¹)

synonym study for empty

1. Empty, vacant, blank, void denote absence of content or contents. Empty means without appropriate or accustomed contents: an empty refrigerator. Vacant is usually applied to that which is temporarily unoccupied: a vacant chair; three vacant apartments. Blank applies to surfaces free from any marks or lacking appropriate markings, openings, etc.: blank paper; a blank wall. Void emphasizes completely unfilled space with vague, unspecified, or no boundaries: void and without form.

OTHER WORDS FROM empty

emp·ti·a·ble, adjectiveemp·ti·er, nounemp·ti·ly, adverbemp·ti·ness, noun

o·ver·emp·ty, adjectivequa·si-emp·ty, adjectiveself-emp·ty·ing, adjectiveun·emp·tied, adjectiveun·emp·ty, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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|DAILY BEAST
But 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|Confucius
The world seemed emptily open before her once more, chill and lonely as the autumn morning.
Elizabeth's Campaign|Mrs. Humphrey Ward
It fell on its back—a dead face covered with blood staring emptily at the ceiling.
Erik Dorn|Ben Hecht

The 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

empty

/ (ˈɛmptɪ) /

adjective -tier or -tiest

containing nothing

without inhabitants; vacant or unoccupied

carrying no load, passengers, etc

without purpose, substance, or valuean empty life

insincere or trivialempty words

not expressive or vital; vacantshe has an empty look

informal hungry

(postpositive foll by of) devoid; destitutea life empty of happiness

informal drained of energy or emotionafter 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

verb -ties, -tying or -tied

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

noun plural -ties

an empty container, esp a bottle

Derived forms of empty

emptiable, adjectiveemptier, nounemptily, adverbemptiness, noun

Word Origin for empty

Old English ǣmtig, from æmetta free time, from æ- without + -metta, from mōtan to be obliged to; see must 1

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

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

empty

OTHER WORDS FOR empty

OPPOSITES FOR empty

Origin of empty

synonym study for empty

OTHER WORDS FROM empty

Words related to empty

How to use empty in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for empty

Derived forms of empty

Word Origin for empty

Other Idioms and Phrases with empty