die Leere füllen
Nach dem Verlust seines Jobs versuchte er, die Leere mit neuen Hobbys zu füllen.
After losing his job, he tried to fill the void with new hobbies.
to fill a feeling of emptiness or loss with something new or meaningful
Sie füllte die Leere nach der Trennung mit Reisen.
She filled the void after the breakup with traveling.
Nach dem Tod seiner Frau versuchte er, die Leere mit Arbeit zu füllen.
After his wife's death, he tried to fill the void with work.
Often used in emotional or psychological contexts to describe coping with loss or absence.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Contexts
This phrase is frequently used after significant life changes like loss, breakups, or retirement. For example, 'Nach dem Ruhestand versuchte er, die Leere mit ehrenamtlicher Arbeit zu füllen.'
Gold Rule
Preposition Usage
Always use 'mit' (with) to indicate what fills the void: 'die Leere mit etwas füllen'.
Word Origin
The phrase combines 'die Leere' (the emptiness/void) from Old High German 'lēri' (emptiness) and 'füllen' (to fill) from Proto-Germanic '*fullijaną' (to make full). The metaphorical use of 'Leere' to describe emotional emptiness emerged in the 19th century.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in personal or psychological contexts. The phrase implies an active effort to overcome a sense of loss or absence. Often used with prepositions like 'mit' (with) to specify how the void is filled.