empty nester

noun

empty nest·​er -ˈne-stər 

: a parent whose children have grown and moved away from home

Examples of empty nester in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adult Bobby navigates his relationship with Connie and lands a spot on a reality cooking show, while Hank and Peggy continue to grapple with life as empty nesters … and maybe adopt a new dog. — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 24 July 2026

The two became empty nesters after their eaglets, Sandy and Luna, left the nest in June. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 July 2026

But time can't be stopped, and soon both sets of parents will be empty nesters, the 55-year-old Damon admitted to People this week. — Valentina Dirindin, Vanity Fair, 18 July 2026

At 35, the duo become empty nesters and decide to get divorced and dive headfirst into the world of dating, all while navigating co-parenting. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for empty nester

• polyester
• ancestor
• arrester
• digester
• investor
• protester
• requester
• semester
• sequester
• silvester
• trimester
• ester