Synonyms of empty

empty 1 of 2

adjective

ˈem(p)-tē 

1

as in devoid

lacking contents that could or should be present

the refrigerator is empty, so we'll have to eat out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• devoid
• barren
• vacant
• blank
• void
• vacuous
• clean
• emptied
• drained
• bare
• hollow
• stark
• open
• toom
• deserted
• unfilled
• uninhabited
• unoccupied
• available
• depleted
• clear
• free
• dry
• unattended
• vacated
• unfurnished
• abandoned
• forsaken
• exhausted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• full
• complete
• provided
• filled
• replete
• occupied
• furnished
• supplied
• overflowing
• packed
• flush
• teeming

2

as in hungry

feeling a desire or need for food

as the long car trip wore on, we all started to feel a little empty

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hungry
• starving
• starved
• famished
• peckish
• ravenous
• undernourished
• malnourished
• underfed
• wolfish
• insatiable
• gluttonous
• voracious
• piggy
• piggish
• hoggish
• rapacious
• greedy
• gormandizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• full
• satisfied
• sated
• satiated
• overstuffed
• stuffed
• overfull
• replete
• glutted
• overfed
• engorged
• gorged
• satiate
• surfeited

3

as in meaningless

having no meaning

spare me your empty apologies because if you were truly sorry, you'd change

Synonyms & Similar Words

• meaningless
• pointless
• stupid
• absurd
• silly
• inane
• foolish
• irrational
• senseless
• slight
• unimportant
• unreasonable
• trivial
• little
• frivolous
• insignificant
• insane
• negligible
• inconsequential
• inconsiderable
• fatuous
• loony
• minor
• nonsensical
• unintelligent
• trifling
• aimless
• mindless
• zany
• cuckoo
• purposeless
• mad
• unwise
• asinine
• wacky
• empty-headed
• haphazard
• brainless
• kooky
• witless
• sappy
• nutty
• preposterous
• simpleminded
• jerky
• balmy
• crazy
• daft
• daffy
• dotty
• harebrained
• crackpot
• tomfool
• weak-minded
• half-witted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• meaningful
• significant
• valid
• expressive
• pregnant
• logical
• reasonable
• eloquent
• suggestive
• important
• rational
• key
• major
• revealing
• substantial
• telling
• eventful
• weighty
• momentous
• consequential

4

as in worthless

having no usefulness

an empty task that was assigned just to keep us busy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worthless
• cheap
• null
• valueless
• vain
• flawed
• no-good
• junky
• bad
• chaffy
• inadequate
• defective
• insufficient
• imperfect
• unacceptable
• base
• unsatisfactory
• inferior
• low-grade
• substandard
• lousy
• duff
• cheapjack
• deficient
• second-rate
• dud

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• valuable
• useful
• worthy
• precious
• invaluable
• priceless
• special
• fancy
• exceptional
• treasured
• cherished
• choice
• prized
• esteemed
• high-grade

5

as in unsuccessful

producing no results

all of the leads in the missing-person case were turning up empty

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unsuccessful
• futile
• useless
• in vain
• unprofitable
• ineffective
• worthless
• insufficient
• unavailing
• unproductive
• of no avail
• ineffectual
• abortive
• fruitless
• impossible
• vain
• hollow
• barren
• meaningless
• inadequate
• no dice
• not worth the candle
• profitless
• lost
• bootless
• valueless
• pointless
• otiose
• inefficacious
• idle
• lacking
• hopeless
• unattainable
• counterproductive
• wanting
• no-win

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• efficient
• successful
• effective
• profitable
• productive
• fruitful
• virtuous
• deadly
• potent
• adequate
• sufficient
• meaningful
• worthwhile
• efficacious
• effectual
• practical
• functional
• feasible
• usable
• applicable
• workable
• practicable
• realizable

6

as in blank

not expressing any emotion

the speaker looked out at a crowd of empty faces

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blank
• vacant
• motionless
• dull
• expressionless
• enigmatic
• numb
• vague
• impassive
• catatonic
• stolid
• inexpressive
• restrained
• detached
• mysterious
• vacuous
• wooden
• deadpan
• static
• reserved
• vapid
• still
• cold
• inscrutable
• impenetrable
• cool
• unresponsive
• indifferent
• aloof
• apathetic
• phlegmatic
• reticent
• taciturn

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• expressive
• active
• engaged
• interested
• busy
• dynamic
• demonstrative
• expansive
• bright
• responsive
• alive
• energetic
• exuberant
• lively
• effervescent
• animated
• vivacious
• revealing
• eloquent
• revelatory
• emotional
• unreserved
• unrestrained
• theatrical
• gestural
• melodramatic
• gestic
• gesticulative
• gesticulatory
• gesticulant

empty

2 of 2

verb

as in to evacuate

to remove the contents of

empty the room before starting to paint the ceiling

Synonyms & Similar Words

• evacuate
• clear
• void
• clean
• drain
• vacate
• eliminate
• waste
• sweep
• purge
• exhaust
• draw (off)
• flush
• deplete
• bleed
• scour

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fill
• load

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

Recent Examples of empty

Adjective

Are those seats empty for a neutral reason or an unpleasant reason? — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Interestingly, though, Oppenheim doesn’t see the media as inherently corrupting; in Primetime, television is simply an empty space, and the desperation to fill it with the lowest common denominator is where the rots starts to set in. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026

Verb

Beginning in 1908, after federal prisons opened in Atlanta, Georgia, and Leavenworth, Kansas, most federal prisoners were sent to these new federal prisons, and cells began to empty at the West Virginia state penitentiary. — Ella Siegrist, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026

My biggest gripe with this cleaner concerns emptying the debris basket. — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing empty

• come up empty