empty calories
plural noun
: calories from food that supply energy but have little or no nutritional value
Examples of empty calories in a Sentence
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So a meaningful step forward, or the type of empty calories some perceived with Adebayo’s 83-point breakout?
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Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
At Olive & Finch, that looks like adding smaller, protein-dense plates to the menu and shedding some of those empty calories.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Which should, but won’t, deter the misguided and shortsighted who will soon succeed in bloating this thing with more empty calories.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Some foods contain harmful additives and ingredients toxic to birds, while others provide empty calories that don't properly nourish them.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for empty calories
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Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
At Olive & Finch, that looks like adding smaller, protein-dense plates to the menu and shedding some of those empty calories.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Which should, but won’t, deter the misguided and shortsighted who will soon succeed in bloating this thing with more empty calories.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Some foods contain harmful additives and ingredients toxic to birds, while others provide empty calories that don't properly nourish them.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for empty calories
Cite this Entry
“Empty calories.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty%20calories. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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