void

1 of 3

adjective

1
a
: of no legal force or effect : null
a void contract
b
2
: containing nothing
void space
3
a
: not occupied : vacant
a void bishopric
b
: not inhabited : deserted
4
5
a
: being without something specified : devoid
a nature void of all malice
b
: having no members or examples
specifically, of a suit : having no cards represented in a particular hand
6
voidness noun

void

2 of 3

noun

1
a
b
: empty space : emptiness, vacuum
2
: the quality or state of being without something : lack, absence
3
: a feeling of want or hollowness
4
: absence of cards of a particular suit in a hand originally dealt to a player

void

3 of 3

verb

voided; voiding; voids

transitive verb

1
2
a
: to make empty or vacant : clear
b
archaic : vacate, leave
3

intransitive verb

: to eliminate solid or liquid waste from the body
voider noun
Choose the Right Synonym for void

empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking contents which could or should be present.

empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

Examples of void in a Sentence

Adjective This sales offer is void where prohibited by law. an agreement is void if obtained by force Noun the great voids between galaxies a repressed memory that left a huge void in her recollection of her adolescent years Verb The judge voided the contract. Any unauthorized repairs will void the warranty.
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.
Adjective
Due to void years and a prior restructure, Prescott is set to earn $29 million in cash this season while incurring a cap hit of about $55 million. Jeff Howe, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024 Search is void in the Balkans, Belarus, Burma, Cote D’ivoire (Ivory Coast), Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Zimbabwe and where prohibited by law. TIME.com, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
These changes were captured in a pair of satellite images from the Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 satellites in the summers of 1984 and 2024, revealing how water now fills the void left by ice. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024 And others argued that the void left by an underfunded network of grass-roots organizers gave way to overreliance on campaign staff members, who were not well-versed in the region’s cultural and political landscapes. Maya King, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
Verb
The timeout voided the play, and Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was able to see how the wind affected the kick from the sideline. Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 23 Nov. 2024 The three-judge appeals court panel voided Amburgy's guilty plea as a result and sent the case back to Haddad's courtroom. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for void 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English voyde, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *vocitus, alteration of Latin vocivus, vacivus empty, from vacare to be empty

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French voider (Old French of Île-de-France vuider) Vulgar Latin *vocitare, from *vocitus

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Noun

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of void was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near void

Cite this Entry

“Void.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/void. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

void

1 of 3 adjective
1
: containing nothing : empty
void space
2
: being without something specified : devoid
a person void of common sense
3
: of no legal force or effect
a void contract

void

2 of 3 noun
1
: empty space
2
: a feeling of want or hollowness

void

3 of 3 verb
: to make void
void a contract

Medical Definition

void

transitive verb
: to discharge or emit
void urine

intransitive verb

: to eliminate solid or liquid waste from the body
frequent voiding

Legal Definition

void

1 of 2 adjective
1
: of no force or effect under law
a void marriage
2
voidness noun

void

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to make or declare void
void a contract

More from Merriam-Webster on void

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