emptiness

noun

Definition of emptinessnext
1
as in hunger
a need or desire for food the emptiness that usually sets in about three o'clock in the afternoon

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of emptiness Gone are the extended multi-part suites and intricate guitar workouts, replaced by slight, tender melodies engulfed in a striking emptiness. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026 Years of waiting for his return were answered with disappointing emptiness, a frustration that could be permanent if McGregor never sets foot in another octagon. — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 12 July 2026 Here, emptiness is not vacancy, but composure, proportion and room for thought. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Not even foundations are visible, and a long gravel road toward that part of the island leads past occasional farms and vast swaths of emptiness and then, finally, to a muddy riverbank thick with mosquitos. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 He was used to being alone without Robin and postretirement but being alone in the interminable stretch of predawn hours was a different sort of emptiness. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026 The condition is marked by intense emotional swings, a chronic feeling of emptiness, and a deep fear of abandonment. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 June 2026 Interstellar space is unforgivingly vast, but the emptiness has some advantages. — Kai James, The Conversation, 26 May 2026 The Tuesday parking shortage and the Monday emptiness are not anomalies to correct. — Chase Garbarino, Fortune, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emptiness
  1. hunger
  2. void
  3. vacancy
  4. stomach
  5. blankness
  6. vacuum
  7. appetite
  8. blank
Noun
  • Irina’s hunger and possessiveness both escalate, leading to the (offscreen) murders of anyone who gets in the way — of her parenting, or a meal.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • Initially focused on pedigree, a junior designer's innovative mock-up taught him that hunger and ideas are paramount.
    — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of hunger
Noun
  • As the film slowly came together for its October release, Universal was hit by production delays in its summer slate and turned to Wellington to fill the void.
    — Geoffrey Bunting, IndieWire, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Association of American Medical Colleges projects shortages of 37,800 to 124,000 doctors by 2034, but the real story is who ends up without a doctor — and where capital is rushing in to fill the void.
    — John Samuels, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of void
Noun
  • The District 5 seat was once held by Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins, whose resignation in late 2025 created the vacancy that led to Lopez’s appointment by the remaining commissioners.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Assuming the Giants also trade left-hander Robbie Ray, as expected, the team will have to fill two vacancies in their rotation.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of vacancy
Noun
  • For a nickel, Minnesotans could get a candy bar packed with peanuts that would both satiate a sweet tooth and fill an empty stomach.
    — Frankie McLister, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Today, cases of cyclosporiasis, a stomach-churning parasitic infection known for causing explosive diarrhea, have now reached 45 states.
    — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of stomach
Noun
  • Not only do the records feature scuff marks and price tags, but poems and doodles—as if the blankness was begging to be filled in.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
  • The terrifying blankness of James Raterman’s military interrogator.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of blankness
Noun
  • Their vacuum cleaners had originally been designed to suck asbestos out of old buildings; a vacuum bag could hold forty pounds of caterpillars and their nests, and a worker could fill three bags a day.
    — Ben Crair, New Yorker, 31 July 2026
  • Since the fallout debris is highly radioactive, the researchers ensured that the attachment has a particulate filter that prevents the material from entering the vacuum itself.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
Definition of vacuum
Noun
  • The Pentagon’s appetite for startups and emerging tech is growing, and investors are pouncing.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Symptoms of a salmonella infection may include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, and a loss of appetite, according to the CDC.
    — Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of appetite
Noun
  • The family hopes witnesses will come forward to help fill in the blanks about what happened before Wells entered the water.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • Her brother, Tunji, fills in the British blanks for her, but life in Lagos was a time of playing on swings and watching her brother kick a ball with his friends.
    — Riann Phillip, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Definition of blank

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empties
emptiness
empty
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Cite this Entry

“Emptiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emptiness. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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