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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in meaningless
having no meaning
spare me your empty apologies because if you were truly sorry, you'd change
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in worthless
having no usefulness
an empty task that was assigned just to keep us busy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in unsuccessful
producing no results
all of the leads in the missing-person case were turning up empty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in blank
not expressing any emotion
the speaker looked out at a crowd of empty faces
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 empty
Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
But the schedule is also noticeably empty toward the backend of the trip.
—Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
Catherine Baab-Muguira, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
City Hall could be emptied next year after a recent eight-month search for redevelopment proposals received no response.
—Jason Clayworth, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for empty
Adjective
Afterwards, the biggest thing the Rangers said was about the constant breakdowns resulting in virtually every non empty goal being scored by players not being closely defended.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
But the schedule is also noticeably empty toward the backend of the trip.
—Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
But while middle-class parents empty their wallets on tchotchkes, billionaires hoard the real thing, with hedge fund managers, tech CEOs, and art collectors driving fossil prices ever higher.
—Catherine Baab-Muguira, Quartz, 3 Apr. 2025
City Hall could be emptied next year after a recent eight-month search for redevelopment proposals received no response.
—Jason Clayworth, Axios, 3 Apr. 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
-
Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Feb. 2023
Adjective
-
The stark consequences of Mr. Trump’s slashing of U.S. aid are evident in few places as clearly as in Sudan, where a brutal civil war has set off a staggering humanitarian catastrophe and left 25 million people — more than half of the country’s population — acutely hungry.—
Declan Walsh,
New York Times,
19 Apr. 2025
-
When the new version of the Jets arrived in town, local fans were so hungry for an NHL team that tickets to the home opener went for $1,000 or more.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Yes, the games are meaningless.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Also; regardless if the Rockies are good or bad; shouldn’t they be applauded for bringing up prospects early and not pausing for a future control that might be meaningless?—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The markets are already speaking: The U.S. dollar now trades for more than 1 million rials, an almost 75 percent increase from a few months ago, making the Iranian currency among the most worthless in the world (in 2015, when Iran last signed a deal with the U.S., the dollar was just 29,500 IRR).—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2025
-
For his part, Zelenskyy tried to say that any agreement with Putin was worthless, as Rubio pointed out.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Last year, Harry’s legal action against the Home Office was unsuccessful and the court initially refused him permission to appeal.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
-
June became hopeful that the American rescue mission would lead to a reunion with her daughter, but that was unsuccessful.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
While a decline in sailings could lead to a drop in prices, during Covid, blank sailings were identified by shippers around the world as a reason for container rates that spiked as high as $30,000.—
Lori Ann LaRocco,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
-
The film, with humor and authenticity, delves into the fallout from his audacious act — delivering two blank canvases while withholding the 532,000 Danish kroner paid to him by the commissioning museum.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The governor and his family were in their home at the time of the attack and were safely evacuated.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
14 Apr. 2025
-
They were evacuated safely and were not injured, according to state police.—
Jessica Gorman,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Charlie Parker’s Favorite Painting (1946) indicates Abercrombie’s engagement with social issues: a yellow noose, nearly fluorescent against a dishwater sky, dangles from a barren tree—an oblique lament from the doggedly antiracist Abercrombie.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
ARTnews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Mass Effect's core loop doesn't benefit from huge barren landscapes that are devoid of detail.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Empty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/empty. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share