empty-handed
adjective
emp·ty-hand·ed
ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: having or bringing nothing
2
: having acquired or gained nothing
came back empty-handed
Examples of empty-handed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Although his documentary was nominated for outstanding long documentary and outstanding editing, the former NFL player and his team went home empty-handed on Tuesday night.
—
Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024
Some went to extreme lengths to ensure they wouldn’t be left empty-handed.
—Kyle Glaser, Orange County Register, 16 May 2024
Her words were echoed by Jalen Lee, a spokesman for Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which also came up empty-handed in of this round of pandemic funds.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2024
In particular, Ticketmaster's chaotic sale of Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets in November 2022 left scores of fans empty-handed and outraged.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
This is a woman who almost never arrives empty-handed.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The suspect entered a business empty-handed, grabbed a duffle bag from inside the store and filled it with Croc shoes, then left without paying for a loss of approximately $239 worth of merchandise.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Guests didn’t leave the Gallery empty-handed; luxury tokens from Augustinus Bader’s cult-favorite products, such as the brand’s eye patches and Rich Cream, were handed to each attendee.
—Maia Torres, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024
That fellow ended up walking out empty-handed, as did a man who ditched a full cart near the entrance.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 22 May 2024
Some went to extreme lengths to ensure they wouldn’t be left empty-handed.
—Kyle Glaser, Orange County Register, 16 May 2024
Her words were echoed by Jalen Lee, a spokesman for Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, which also came up empty-handed in of this round of pandemic funds.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2024
In particular, Ticketmaster's chaotic sale of Taylor Swift Eras Tour tickets in November 2022 left scores of fans empty-handed and outraged.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024
This is a woman who almost never arrives empty-handed.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The suspect entered a business empty-handed, grabbed a duffle bag from inside the store and filled it with Croc shoes, then left without paying for a loss of approximately $239 worth of merchandise.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Guests didn’t leave the Gallery empty-handed; luxury tokens from Augustinus Bader’s cult-favorite products, such as the brand’s eye patches and Rich Cream, were handed to each attendee.
—Maia Torres, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024
That fellow ended up walking out empty-handed, as did a man who ditched a full cart near the entrance.
—Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'empty-handed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Empty-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty-handed. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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