void 1 of 3

adjective

ˈvȯid How to pronounce void (audio)
Definition of voidnext
1
as in null
having no legal or binding force an agreement is void if obtained by force

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2
as in empty
lacking contents that could or should be present a nuclear explosion that would leave the landscape as void and lifeless as one could imagine

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3
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected entirely void of common sense

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4
as in deserted
left unoccupied or unused the cornfields lay void under a blanket of snow

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void

2 of 3

noun

1
as in gap
an incomplete or deficient area a repressed memory that left a huge void in her recollection of her adolescent years

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2
as in emptiness
empty space those ancient travelers who traversed those vast watery voids between the islands of Oceania

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3
as in hole
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) the client wanted an old-fashioned stone wall and did not want the voids filled in with mortar

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void

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to repeal
to put an end to by formal action the court's decision voided the will the cashier voided the sale when the customer realized his wallet was at home

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2
as in to empty
to remove the contents of the seller has promised to void the house of all furniture

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective void contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of void are blank, empty, vacant, and vacuous. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

When is it sensible to use blank instead of void?

The words blank and void are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When might empty be a better fit than void?

The synonyms empty and void are sometimes interchangeable, but empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When can vacant be used instead of void?

In some situations, the words vacant and void are roughly equivalent. However, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

In what contexts can vacuous take the place of void?

Although the words vacuous and void have much in common, vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of void
Adjective
Judge Biggs largely agreed with Williamson that Ford should have known her counterclaims were without merit, reasoning that outlook became clear after the court held the five-year contract was void as a matter of law. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 July 2026 Both companies issued formal notices warning that equity transfers conducted without board approval—including via special-purpose vehicles, forward contracts or tokenized instruments—may be void and unrecognized. — Ivan Kan, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Noun
When Party City and Joann Fabrics liquidated last year, Michaels Stores had an opportunity to swoop in and fill the void each retailer had left in the market. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 17 July 2026 The idea shouldn’t be throwing them into a complete void, but pairing freedom with opportunity — providing access to books, art supplies, toys, outdoor spaces or friends — and then letting children figure out what to do with them. — Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 16 July 2026
Verb
The league has not ruled out the possibility of suspending Leonard or voiding his contract. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 16 July 2026 Rumors fill information void Syrian officials say the blasts that targeted government institutions and the French presidential convoy were the work of a cell affiliated with the Islamic State. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for void
Recent Examples of Synonyms for void
  1. invalid
  2. empty
  3. devoid
  4. deserted
  5. gap
  6. emptiness
  7. hole
  8. repeal
Adjective
  • He was barred from the ballot paper after Russia’s Supreme Court ruled that more than 9,000 signatures submitted by Nadezhdin’s campaign were invalid — enough to disqualify him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • But in addition to saying the city’s 650-foot rule was invalid, the state also included a threat.
    — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 9 July 2026
Definition of invalid
Adjective
  • As with most malls in the United States, its final years were marked by just a tiny trickle of shoppers who had to pass empty storefronts to reach the few remaining open businesses.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
  • The 80,000-capacity New York New Jersey stadium was packed with few empty seats in the sea of red and white and blue at the final matchup of Spain versus Argentina.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2026
Definition of empty
Adjective
  • In a show mostly devoid of explicit messages, the sentiment surprised me.
    — Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • Players take on the role of a Ditto capable of mimicking its human trainer, and the Pokémon is thrown into a world devoid of humans.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • Patty was never seen again because, prosecutors say, Sochor raped and killed her at the side of a deserted road.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
  • Once all but deserted, the town experienced a revival in 1965, when artists and musicians began to flock there after encouragement from the Yugoslav government.
    — Tia Lovisa Moreira, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
Definition of deserted
Noun
  • Inspectors also pointed to a large gap along the bottom of the bakery’s street-side double doors that could allow more insects or rodents to get inside.
    — Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
  • But both of these increase the gap between the solar clock and the body’s internal clock, which has been linked to poor health outcomes.
    — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 17 July 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • Here, emptiness is not vacancy, but composure, proportion and room for thought.
    — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Not even foundations are visible, and a long gravel road toward that part of the island leads past occasional farms and vast swaths of emptiness and then, finally, to a muddy riverbank thick with mosquitos.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of emptiness
Noun
  • The Louisiana State University alum came into the round ahead by two strokes but quickly lost it and went birdie-free for the final 12 holes.
    — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • Below it, there’s a wide concave base with a drainage hole that’s ideal for faux flowers, real flowers, or decorative rocks.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026
Definition of hole
Verb
  • Instead of lobbying for the law, Congress should be thinking about reforming, if not repealing, it.
    — James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026
  • The strength of that brand allowed the local beer industry to bounce back fairly quickly after Prohibition was repealed in 1933.
    — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 21 July 2026
Definition of repeal

Phrases Containing void

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voicing
void
voidance
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Cite this Entry

“Void.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/void. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on void

Nglish: Translation of void for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about void

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