empty

1 of 4

adjective

emp·​ty ˈem(p)-tē 

emptier; emptiest

1

a

: containing nothing

empty shelves

b

: not occupied or inhabited

an empty building

c

: unfrequented

d

: not pregnant

empty heifer

e

: null sense 4a

the empty set

2

a

: lacking reality, substance, meaning, or value : hollow

an empty pleasure

b

: destitute of effect or force

an empty threat

c

: devoid of sense : foolish

3

: hungry

4

a

: idle

empty hours

b

: having no purpose or result : useless

5

: marked by the absence of human life, activity, or comfort

an empty silence

emptily

ˈem(p)-tə-lē 

adverb

emptiness

ˈem(p)-tē-nəs 

noun

empty

2 of 4

verb

emptied; emptying

transitive verb

1

a

: to make empty : remove the contents of

empty a purse

b

: deprive, divest

a phrase emptied of all meaning

c

: to discharge (itself) of contents

d

: to fire (a repeating firearm) until empty

2

: to remove from what holds or encloses

intransitive verb

1

: to become empty

the theater emptied quickly

2

: to discharge contents

the river empties into the ocean

empty

3 of 4

noun (1)

plural empties

: something (such as a bottle or can) that is empty

emptiness

4 of 4

noun (2)

emp·​ti·​ness -tēnə̇s 

-tin-

plural -es

1

a

: the quality or state of being empty

b

: the quality or state of lacking or being devoid of contents (as typical or customary)

the emptiness of the coal bin

the emptiness of the garage

c

: the quality or state of being uninhabited, unfrequented, or containing no human beings

the emptiness, the blankness of great solitudes

—Laurence Binyon

the peculiar emptiness of the green meadows and the tiny hidden lanes

—Margery Allingham

2

a

: barrenness

life … ghastly in its emptiness and sterility

—Aldous Huxley

especially : lack of imagination or creative ability

painting marked by simplicity but not emptiness

b

: lack of something necessary to spiritual growth or sustenance

the vulgarity, the cheapness, the showy pretentiousness, the dreadful emptiness of life for the middle classes during the uneasy peace

—W. L. Shirer

the spiritual emptiness of army life will have deeply affected the thinking habits of many men

—B. B. Seligman

c

: inanity, foolishness, senselessness

he realized the emptiness of mere opposition to the U.S. on such questions

—A. F. Buchan

d

: lack of significant purposefulness : an engaging in purposeless or inane activity

life without a customary companion was emptiness, ennui, restiveness and fidget

—Francis Hackett

3

: hunger

the family had sat down, ill-humored from emptiness, to dinner at four o'clock

—Ellen Glasgow

4

a

: lack

they were glad to overlook its frequent emptiness of content

—Van Wyck Brooks

b

: lack of warmth, love, or affection

with her children she feels affectionate and at the same time has an impression of emptiness, which she gloomily interprets as complete indifference

—H. M. Parshley

c

: marked unhappiness deriving from the loss of something loved

the emptiness of utter loss

—F. R. Leavis

d

: sense of loss especially of something desirable

only an emptiness, a feeling that something was over

—Stuart Cloete

5

: uninhabited or unknown territory

stood on the shores of this nameless lake at last … saying that we should turn back from the emptiness which stretched ahead

—Farley Mowat

appears as a sort of outpost, standing almost on the edge of emptiness

—Green Peyton

6

: something lacking significant content : frivolity sense 2

a play that was nothing more than a competent piece of emptiness

7

Buddhism : nirvana

Synonyms of empty

Adjective

• devoid
• barren

Verb

• evacuate
• clear
• void
• clean
• drain
• vacate

Choose the Right Synonym for empty

empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking contents which could or should be present.

empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

synonyms see in addition vain

Examples of empty in a Sentence

Adjective

The arena was completely empty.

She felt trapped in an empty marriage.

unhappy people leading empty lives

Verb

She emptied the contents of her purse onto the table.

It's your turn to empty the trash.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ironically, the family serves their meal by an empty gas cylinder. — ABC News, 8 July 2026

Nestle a table lamp on an oversized vanity or tuck an upholstered ottoman into an empty corner. — Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 8 July 2026

Verb

The Aspiron Canister Vacuum is designed with a powerful brushless motor, three-stage filtration system, and large dust cup that keeps shoppers from having to constantly empty it. — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

As large amounts of sodium, fat, and calories enter the bloodstream, gastric emptying may take significantly longer than a typical meal. — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Noun

The vacuum and mop combo is a hands-free robot that auto-empties dirt into a 3-liter bag, self-washes the mop rollers, and auto-refills the water chamber for the next cleaning session. — Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026

Your stomach empties at its normal pace again. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English ǣmettig unoccupied, from ǣmetta leisure, perhaps from ǣ- without + -metta (probably akin to mōtan to have to) — more at must

Noun (2)

Middle English emptinesse, from empty + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1844, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing empty

• come up empty
• empty calories
• empty-handed
• empty-headed
• empty into
• empty nester
• empty-nest syndrome
• empty of
• empty one's pockets
• empty suit
• empty threat
• non-empty
• on an empty stomach

Kids Definition

empty

1 of 3 adjective

emp·​ty ˈem(p)-tē 

emptier; emptiest

1

: containing nothing

an empty box

2

: not being lived in

an empty house

3

: having no reality or importance

empty dreams

4

: lacking in value, sense, effect, or sincerity

empty threats

5

: hungry sense 1

feel empty before dinner

6

: having no members

empty set

emptily

-tə-lē 

adverb

emptiness

-tē-nəs 

noun

empty

2 of 3 verb

emptied; emptying

1

: to make empty : remove the contents of

empty a barrel

2

: to remove all of from a container

empty flour from a bag

3

: to become empty

the theater emptied quickly

4

: to give forth contents (as fluid) : discharge

the river empties into the ocean

empty

3 of 3 noun

plural empties

: an empty container