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
Relevance
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
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
Voisin — who played another hero of a French classic in Xavier Giannoli’s 2021 adaptation of Balzac’s Lost Illusions — carries the entire drama as a lost soul whose physical beauty (perfect jawline, killer abs) can hardly conceal the emptiness inside of him.
—
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
When Scout died, Watson was left grappling with an emptiness that followed her home each day.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In such moments, silence is not considered emptiness at all.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
All the episodes feature people talking about water, which seems at least in the first two sections to denote a kind of mental (or even emotional) emptiness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2025
Fog had moved in, transforming The Gorge into a sea of haunting emptiness.
—Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Israelis perhaps will awaken to the emptiness and absurdity of their military victories.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Where risk once hid in emptiness, engineering removed the fuel for disaster.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2025
The impersonality of the synth and its aural emptiness met its perfect match in Burgess’s book and Kubrick’s groundbreaking film.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
When Scout died, Watson was left grappling with an emptiness that followed her home each day.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
In such moments, silence is not considered emptiness at all.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
All the episodes feature people talking about water, which seems at least in the first two sections to denote a kind of mental (or even emotional) emptiness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2025
Fog had moved in, transforming The Gorge into a sea of haunting emptiness.
—Jim Tschetter, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2025
Israelis perhaps will awaken to the emptiness and absurdity of their military victories.
—Hussein Agha, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Where risk once hid in emptiness, engineering removed the fuel for disaster.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2025
The impersonality of the synth and its aural emptiness met its perfect match in Burgess’s book and Kubrick’s groundbreaking film.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emptiness
Noun
-
Students form teams around issues that matter to them, from hunger to housing to advocacy.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
For Owen, the viral comments highlight a hunger for rewriting the millennial narrative.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Regular Israelis unhesitatingly stepped up to fill the void.—
Ron Scherf,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
-
With limited reporting coming out of Gaza, films are filling a void.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Ask about tenant retention, leasing progress and how vacancies are being addressed.—
Andrew DeNardo,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
At the same time, the Senate is expected to take up a vote Monday on nominee Stephen Miran for a Board of Governors vacancy.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The protective father also held his hands back, guarding his son while placing the back of his head on Jack’s stomach.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Pineapple sensitivities may cause mild symptoms, such as nausea and upset stomach, while allergies may cause skin rashes and a swollen tongue or lips.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His beam wavered on a patch of blankness, or the corner of an amp, and then began to roam the stage in desperation, scanning here and scanning there—until, from the darkness, the voice of Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden’s singer, was heard.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This can leave a certain blankness at the film’s center, but Seyfried’s performance ably fills in the emotional details.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Amazon typically discounts Apple AirPods, Dyson vacuums, Le Creuset cookware, Coach bags, Lego sets, and more coveted goodies.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
When Day succumbs to his wounds, Dusk seizes the vacuum, claiming Hari Seldon’s psychohistory crystal.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But the new leadership team, headed by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), all voted against the House’s 2021 AUMF repeal bill and did not have an appetite to bring it up last year.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Located right next to the fabric center is The Depot Deli, ideal for those who might work up an appetite while shopping.—
Olivia Lee,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Students could then be assigned a diagram of the water cycle with missing labels; filling in the blanks on the diagram offers them a hands-on activity to reinforce the information in the quiz.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
10 Sep. 2025
-
During Mayers’ three-week criminal trial, an eyewitness testified that Rocky only had a prop gun firing blanks the night of the confrontation.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Emptiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emptiness. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share