empty nester
noun
a parent whose children have reached adulthood and left home.
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empty nester
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empty-nester
empty-nesternouna married person whose children have grown up and left home
empty nester
American
Or
empty-nester
noun
empty-nester
British
noun
Etymology
Origin of empty nester
First recorded in 1960–65; empty nest + -er 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Based in Cheshire, she shares her experience of being an "empty nester" on social media.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Having a third child, which she still thinks about, would mean she wouldn’t be an empty nester until her mid-60s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026
For Veronica P., an empty nester who moved to Olive Dell in March 2024, the ranch offered her acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025
Zöe, I can't let you leave without asking you one last question I'm going to be an empty nester soon.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2022
Duplass’s Dobson, an acclaimed novelist, recent widower and now an empty nester, is struggling to hold himself together.
From New York Times ● May 13, 2022
These days, she’s enjoying empty-nester life with her husband Kevin Grandalski.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
Bryant is a recent empty-nester, so she’s looking for someone who’s experienced as much life as she has and knows how to have fun at the same time.
From Salon ● May 5, 2025
And, like that, I became an afternoon empty-nester.
From Seattle Times ● May 6, 2022
As the "Friends" alum prepares to be an empty-nester, she spoke to People magazine about motherhood and her relationship with Coco.
From Fox News ● Jan. 27, 2022
We had gone through dozens of hours of training, which we needed; unlike some of our empty-nester classmates, we have never been parents before.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 6, 2021
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