: a parent whose children have grown and moved away from home
Examples of empty nester in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is particularly applicable to empty nesters or single people, notes Kelly.
—
Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
After spending time with his parents, who are recent empty nesters after his brothers and sister departed for college, in Ohio after the Lakers’ loss in Detroit, Hayes put up one of the best games of his NBA career with his mother and father in attendance.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
Leslie McCaddon, a mom of three and recent empty nester, went back to school when her youngest was 10.
—Jillian Pretzel, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Downsizing isn’t just for empty nesters anymore.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for empty nester
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.
Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 1 Apr. 2026
After spending time with his parents, who are recent empty nesters after his brothers and sister departed for college, in Ohio after the Lakers’ loss in Detroit, Hayes put up one of the best games of his NBA career with his mother and father in attendance.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
Leslie McCaddon, a mom of three and recent empty nester, went back to school when her youngest was 10.
—Jillian Pretzel, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Downsizing isn’t just for empty nesters anymore.
—Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for empty nester
Cite this Entry
“Empty nester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty%20nester. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
