comes up empty

phrase

present tense third-person singular of come up empty
as in fails
to be unsuccessful We searched for a viable candidate but came up empty.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for comes up empty
falls short
Phrase
  • If the tax revenue tied to the stadium project falls short, the city could need to cover the cost from other sources — potentially taking money away from other city priorities.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Make sure any profit from future sales will be enough to cover your financing costs — including interest and fees — even if demand falls short of your expectations.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of falls short
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.

Browse Nearby Words

comes up
comes up empty
comes up with
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Cite this Entry

“Comes up empty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comes%20up%20empty. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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