First recorded in 1960–65; empty nest + -er 1
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
But then, as she approached becoming an empty nester, Dressback began having panic attacks around being gay, she said, feeling that “I’ve pushed this down for a really long time.”
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2024
Milestones like a 40th or 50th birthday, or becoming an empty nester, can provoke uncertainty about your life and your future.
From New York Times ● Jan. 20, 2024
She joined Airbnb when she became an empty nester to earn money in retirement and to meet people from around the world.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
Farmhouse Fixer Jon and Kristina undertake a renovation of a charming 1910 home owned by a baker who is an empty nester.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2021
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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
