empty-handed

adjective

emp·​ty-hand·​ed ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhan-dəd 

1

: having or bringing nothing

2

: having acquired or gained nothing

came back empty-handed

Examples of empty-handed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the years immediately after the remains were discovered nearly two decades ago, authorities came up empty-handed for suspects. —Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026

The Big Ten, a power conference with arguably more power than any of its peers, had sent eight teams to the title game since Tom Izzo’s 2000 champions from Michigan State, and all eight came away empty-handed, sometimes in heartbreaking fashion and other times in a rout. —Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026

The Kings also went away empty-handed on Adrian Kempe’s last-ditch drive to the net in the dying embers of overtime. —Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026

Tony’s father started coming back empty-handed; the family came to depend on checks from the government. —Akash Kapur, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for empty-handed

• countermanded
• evenhanded
• reprimanded
• underhanded
• backhanded
• commanded
• demanded
• disbanded
• expanded
• misbranded
• remanded
• unbranded

Kids Definition

empty-handed

adjective

emp·​ty-hand·​ed

ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhan-dəd

1

: having nothing in the hands

2

: having acquired or gained nothing

came back empty-handed