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empty

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verb

as in to evacuate
to remove the contents of empty the room before starting to paint the ceiling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective empty contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of empty are blank, vacant, vacuous, and void. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When might blank be a better fit than empty?

While in some cases nearly identical to empty, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When could vacant be used to replace empty?

The words vacant and empty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

When is vacuous a more appropriate choice than empty?

Although the words vacuous and empty have much in common, vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

When would void be a good substitute for empty?

The meanings of void and empty largely overlap; however, void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

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 empty
Adjective
Swayman was pulled for an extra skater with just under three minutes to go and Necas finished it off with an empty-netter. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 The world feels empty with the void left by Jane Goodall. Lisa Wade, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
Hemorrhoids occur when the strings of muscle supporting these veins fracture and the veins are unable to empty the blood, Rao said. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025 Skubal left after 99 pitches, his tank emptied and his Tigers leading by a run. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for empty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for empty
Adjective
  • Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.
    Michael Abbott, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
  • Going into the weekend, the expectation was that McLaren would dominate, given the high temperatures in Austin and the tire-hungry demands of COTA, previously noteworthy strengths for the team over its competitors.
    Luke Smith, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Change Halloween to the Fourth of July and a relentless maniac to a hungry shark, and Steven Spielberg's iconic blockbuster might as well be a seabound slasher.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Mainstream rap nowadays is suffocating from meaningless rivalries, subliminal shots for stans to decode and misinterpret, and redundant talk of who’s really in the streets and who’s snitching.
    Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
  • What affected me most in Lahiri’s story was the sense of time passing, the way our obsessions seem meaningless in the aftermath of tragic events (or, rather, from the larger vantage point of a life).
    Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Another recurring feature of the biggest asset booms is outright chicanery, such as fraudulent accounting, the marketing of worthless securities, and plain old stealing.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Marks drew a parallel to the late 1990s internet boom, which promised to transform the world — and ultimately did — yet left a trail of worthless companies in its wake.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Romo was starting to describe how Mahomes was complaining about the attempt being unsuccessful when he was interrupted by the Chiefs running the ball and picking up the first down.
    Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
  • However, the shooting was unsuccessful and Alex suffered only superficial wounds.
    Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The bad column was virtually blank.
    Jay Glennie, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Taasa looks at him in blank, exhausted disgust and then looks straight into the camera.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The museum was quickly evacuated and will remain closed Sunday to preserve evidence for investigators.
    Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Residents whose homes were destroyed evacuated to Bethel, the largest city in western Alaska.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Where homes, buildings and fields once stood in the southern city of Rafah, there were now craters and barren wastelands.
    Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Those who reached Spain were offered a place to rebuild their lives — on a small, barren island.
    Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Empty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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