1
as in hunger
a need or desire for food
the emptiness that usually sets in about three o'clock in the afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in void
empty space
there in the vast emptiness of the desert was a long-abandoned jeep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vacancy
the quality or state of being empty
the emptiness of the interior of the isolated house just made it seem all the more eerie
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of emptiness
The Tuesday parking shortage and the Monday emptiness are not anomalies to correct.
—
Chase Garbarino, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Lift up your eyes unto the hills, and behold all that delightful emptiness.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Elijah Strand, Athena’s uncle, told the court that Horner’s actions devastated their family and left them with an emptiness that can’t be filled.
—Harriet Ramos
may 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2026
Why do people team up around an emptiness, so much spent breath?
—Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
The scene leaves us wondering about the sudden emptiness.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026
The average kitchen cabinet holds three or four plastic spray bottles in various states of emptiness, each one destined for the recycling bin—or, more likely, the trash.
—Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
There is no pathos in Sweeney’s delivery, only emptiness.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
Rue’s foray into religion is certainly a literal enough manifestation of the theme, and the emptiness of her former classmates’ pursuits creates an explicit contrast.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
Chase Garbarino, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Lift up your eyes unto the hills, and behold all that delightful emptiness.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Elijah Strand, Athena’s uncle, told the court that Horner’s actions devastated their family and left them with an emptiness that can’t be filled.
—Harriet Ramos
may 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 May 2026
Why do people team up around an emptiness, so much spent breath?
—Julian Bell, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
The scene leaves us wondering about the sudden emptiness.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2026
The average kitchen cabinet holds three or four plastic spray bottles in various states of emptiness, each one destined for the recycling bin—or, more likely, the trash.
—Jamie Thilman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
There is no pathos in Sweeney’s delivery, only emptiness.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2026
Rue’s foray into religion is certainly a literal enough manifestation of the theme, and the emptiness of her former classmates’ pursuits creates an explicit contrast.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emptiness
Noun
-
The 28-year-old takes responsibility, and her competitive hunger drives her.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
The diversity of hormone function, from milk to mood, hunger to height, does not occur through the action of any single part of our anatomy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
And given that cruise collections are designed to fill the void in between seasons, when the weather varies by hour and no one has a clue what to wear or what to do with their hair, a mixed batch of looks felt appropriate.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, Cole takes on a new role at school, but when that doesn’t quite fill the void left by not playing football, his old ways creep back in and cause drama.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Democrats hold a narrow House edge, 102-99, with two vacancies.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
20 May 2026
-
Prolonged vacancy has caused structural deterioration and the historic Centennial Hill neighborhood surrounding it faces pressure from development.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Side, back, and stomach sleepers all praise the pillows’ softness, luxurious feel, breathability, and coolness.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 May 2026
-
Norovirus symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The terrifying blankness of James Raterman’s military interrogator.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Jothan saw us and shook our hands, as did Michael Ray, but Sun Ra scuffled by with an air of depthless blankness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To her, Mary was a vacuum—conceived as little more than an American everywoman—and Lasser rushed to fill that void with her own experience.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Swap out bedding, vacuum floors, and deep-clean showers weekly to prevent long-term grime.—
Mallory Carra,
The Spruce,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Whether public market investors have an appetite for funding something this risky is a separate question.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
-
An October 2025 study via the National Library of Medicine found warm white light at 2700K produced the highest levels of positive emotion and appetite in participants.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
His eyes were glazed, his expression blank.—
James Verini,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
For me, the most important thing about a film is to give space, or to create blanks that the audience can fill in for themselves — not to force my ideas or a message onto the audience.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Emptiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emptiness. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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