void 1 of 3

adjective

ˈvȯid How to pronounce void (audio)
Definition of voidnext
1
as in null
having no legal or binding force an agreement is void if obtained by force

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2
as in empty
lacking contents that could or should be present a nuclear explosion that would leave the landscape as void and lifeless as one could imagine

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3
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected entirely void of common sense

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4
as in deserted
left unoccupied or unused the cornfields lay void under a blanket of snow

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void

2 of 3

noun

1
as in gap
an incomplete or deficient area a repressed memory that left a huge void in her recollection of her adolescent years

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2
as in emptiness
empty space those ancient travelers who traversed those vast watery voids between the islands of Oceania

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3
as in hole
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge) the client wanted an old-fashioned stone wall and did not want the voids filled in with mortar

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void

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to repeal
to put an end to by formal action the court's decision voided the will the cashier voided the sale when the customer realized his wallet was at home

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2
as in to empty
to remove the contents of the seller has promised to void the house of all furniture

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective void contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of void are blank, empty, vacant, and vacuous. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

When is it sensible to use blank instead of void?

The words blank and void are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When might empty be a better fit than void?

The synonyms empty and void are sometimes interchangeable, but empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When can vacant be used instead of void?

In some situations, the words vacant and void are roughly equivalent. However, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

In what contexts can vacuous take the place of void?

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

a vacuous facial expression

How does the adjective void contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of void are blank, empty, vacant, and vacuous. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

When is it sensible to use blank instead of void?

The words blank and void are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When might empty be a better fit than void?

The synonyms empty and void are sometimes interchangeable, but empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When can vacant be used instead of void?

In some situations, the words vacant and void are roughly equivalent. However, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

In what contexts can vacuous take the place of void?

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

a vacuous facial expression

How does the adjective void contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of void are blank, empty, vacant, and vacuous. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

When is it sensible to use blank instead of void?

The words blank and void are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When might empty be a better fit than void?

The synonyms empty and void are sometimes interchangeable, but empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When can vacant be used instead of void?

In some situations, the words vacant and void are roughly equivalent. However, vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

In what contexts can vacuous take the place of void?

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

a vacuous facial expression

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 void
Adjective
Water the plant to saturation after installing, and then check again for void pockets. —Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026 The team added two void years to the back of Brown’s contract and paid out the bulk of his 2026 base salary as a signing bonus. —Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
Heck can fill the void from Larry Borom moving on to the Detroit Lions in free agency. —David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026 After transferring from Colorado, Hood helped the Volunteers fill the void created by the absence of Jermod McCoy, earning second-team All-SEC recognition. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
Hearron, Coeytaux’s attorney, said no court has voided a California shield law in this way. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2026 Aiyuk had signed a four-year, $120 million extension before the 2024 season but the $27 million that was guaranteed for the 2026 season had been voided. —ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for void
Recent Examples of Synonyms for void
  1. empty
  2. devoid
  3. deserted
  4. gap
  5. emptiness
  6. hole
  7. repeal
  8. invalid
Adjective
  • Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel also scored, and Pontus Holmberg added an empty-netter in the final half-minute.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Union leaders and federal officials say empty gas tanks, childcare expenses and the threat of eviction keep more screeners from showing up the longer the shutdown continues.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of 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
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • Alberto Rodríguez, 73, limped with a cane down a deserted industrial street.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
  • In his seventh feature collaboration with Scorsese, DiCaprio will join forces with Jennifer Lawrence, with the two playing a couple stranded in a deserted, snowy European town.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of deserted
Noun
  • And that gap means calculations can get weird.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2026
  • That gap, between how the law traditionally understands self-defense and how domestic-violence victims experience danger, is one the Survivors’ Act sought to address.
    — Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Definition of gap
Noun
  • Over time, this creates a sense of emptiness, a lack of purpose and significance.
    — Arthur C. Brooks March 22, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The tens of thousands of conference attendees who surged into downtown San Jose this week provided a stark contrast to the typical daytime emptiness, and highlighted the otherwise sluggish recovery of the city’s economically vital conference and convention business.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of emptiness
Noun
  • Florida overcame a 10-point first-half deficit and dug out of a 12-point hole after intermission on Sunday, but could not close out the Hawkeyes, who will face Nebraska on Thursday in Houston.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
  • The burst of activity came as Earth was hit by a complex wave of solar energy, delivering a one-two punch from multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) alongside a fast stream of solar wind from a coronal hole.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Definition of hole
Verb
  • The November ballot might also include two citizens initiatives — one that would repeal the city’s new trash fee for single-family homes and another that would repeal new parking fees.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Should the Jones Act be permanently repealed, fuel prices would fall more steeply.
    — Christopher Niezrecki, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of repeal
Adjective
  • Changes to the hepatitis B vaccines for newborns and COVID-19 shots made via earlier ACIP votes were deemed invalid.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Fry has been arrested more than two dozen times since 2003, on a range of offenses including assault, burglary, driving with an invalid license, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, according to court records.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Definition of invalid

Phrases Containing void

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voicing
void
voidance
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Cite this Entry

“Void.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/void. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on void

Nglish: Translation of void for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about void

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