running on empty

Idioms

At the end of one's resources, out of money, as in I don't know how much longer we can live this way—we're running on empty with no jobs in sight. This idiom refers to a car running when the gas gauge indicates it is out of fuel. [Second half of 1900s]

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.

She said she had been pushing past her limits "running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me."

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

“I’ve been pushing myself past my limits lately, running on empty, and my body finally said enough,” she explained.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

"I had been running on empty for so long - I didn't realise," Lucy says.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

"Not only are you running on empty, you're also keeping the stress hormones and the stress levels in your brain high."

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2023

Lately, though, the running game is running on empty.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023