empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking contents which could or should be present. empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

He says his life has been completely empty since his wife died. I felt empty, like a part of me had died.

These adjectives mean without contents that could or should be present. Empty is the broadest and can apply to what lacks contents (an empty box), occupants (an empty seat), or …

If you describe a person's life or a period of time as empty, you mean that nothing interesting or valuable happens in it. My life was very hectic but empty before I met him.

There are 29 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word empty, six of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Empty is the opposite of full and is used to describe anything that has a complete absence of contents. Sometimes, empty has slightly different specific meanings depending on context.

Nov 10, 2025 · empty (third-person singular simple present empties, present participle emptying, simple past and past participle emptied) (transitive, ergative) To make empty; to remove the …

empty definition: containing nothing. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "empty talk", "empty-bellied", "empty …

Empty means without appropriate or accustomed contents: an empty refrigerator. Vacant is usually applied to that which is temporarily unoccupied: a vacant chair; three vacant apartments.

an empty [= hollow, idle] threat an empty promise Her apology was just an empty gesture. Their promises are just a lot of empty talk/words.