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empty
/ˈɛm.ti/
containing nothing
She left the room feeling empty after the argument.
She felt emotionally hollow or devoid of comfort.
general
Containing nothing; having no contents.
The glass was empty after he drank all the water.
The glass had no water left in it.
The parking lot was empty at midnight.
There were no cars in the parking lot.
Can describe physical containers or abstract concepts like emotions.
figurative
Having no meaning or substance; hollow.
His promises turned out to be empty.
His promises were not genuine or meaningful.
Used to describe things that lack sincerity or value.
Collocations
empty-handedwithout bringing or achieving anythingempty nesta home where children have grown up and leftempty threata threat that is not serious or likely to be carried out
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Literal vs. Figurative Use
Remember that 'empty' can describe both physical containers and abstract concepts like emotions or promises.
Gold Rule
Common Collocations
'Empty' often pairs with 'handed', 'nest', and 'threat' in common phrases.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'empti', from Old French 'emptie', from Latin 'inanis' meaning 'empty, vain, hollow'.
Usage Notes
Can be used both literally (no physical contents) and figuratively (lacking meaning or substance).
Word Breakdown
empt
root related to being devoid or lacking
root-y
suffix forming adjectives
suffixEnglish Dictionary