empty nester

noun

empty nest·​er -ˈne-stər How to pronounce empty nester (audio)
: a parent whose children have grown and moved away from home

Examples of empty nester in a Sentence

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.
Most are like Monicah, soon-to-be empty nesters looking for tips on how to best situation their kids in a new home. Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025 In the context of the current highly restrictive zoning codes that disproportionately dominate Democratic areas, eliminating property taxes would also encourage empty nesters who otherwise no longer need larger homes to stay put, while growing families would be crowded out of home ownership. Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025 But what does being an 'empty nester' mean in 2025? Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025 After being a stay-at-home mom for 23 years, Dawn LaFontaine, 60, became an empty nester in the fall of 2016, when her second child left for college. Elizabeth Yuko, Flow Space, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for empty nester

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of empty nester was in 1958

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Cite this Entry

“Empty nester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty%20nester. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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