empty

1 of 3

adjective

emp·​ty ˈem(p)-tē How to pronounce empty (audio)
emptier; emptiest
1
a
: containing nothing
empty shelves
b
: not occupied or inhabited
an empty building
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 adverb
emptiness noun

empty

2 of 3

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 3

noun

plural empties
: something (such as a bottle or can) that is empty
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
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.
Adjective
Tim Rice’s lyrics paint a vivid portrait of how vulnerable people can be drawn to an evil that promises them prosperity, no matter how empty that promise may be. 15. Barry Levitt, TIME, 27 Nov. 2024 Footage of the interaction between Penny and Neely, which began about 2 minutes after the incident started, captures Penny holding Neely for about 4 minutes and 57 seconds on a relatively empty train with a couple of passengers nearby. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
Instead of loud music and joyous laughter, the team’s locker room was mostly silent as players emptied their lockers, got dressed and shuffled out as quickly as possible. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024 The workers are employed by American Airlines subcontractors, ABM and Prospect Airport Services Inc., and provide services such as cleaning cabins, emptying trash and wheelchair assistance. Calvin Milliner, ABC News, 25 Nov. 2024
Noun
In a video, a two-armed robot empties a clothes dryer into a basket, wheels the basket over to a table, and then folds shirts and shorts and places them in a stack. James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024 Rossi’s assignment with the net empty was to change for the defenseman, in this case, Jake Middleton. Michael Russo, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for empty 

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

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

1844, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of empty was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near empty

Cite this Entry

“Empty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty. Accessed 8 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

empty

1 of 3 adjective
emp·​ty ˈem(p)-tē How to pronounce empty (audio)
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 adverb
emptiness 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

More from Merriam-Webster on empty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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