emptiness

noun

Definition of emptinessnext
1
as in hunger
a need or desire for food the emptiness that usually sets in about three o'clock in the afternoon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in void
empty space there in the vast emptiness of the desert was a long-abandoned jeep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vacancy
the quality or state of being empty the emptiness of the interior of the isolated house just made it seem all the more eerie

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 emptiness The problem isn’t the characterization, since the surgeon is extremely well drawn and Văncică’s performance picks up on both the overall inner emptiness and the yearning for something more. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026 If the early universe obeyed this rule, our modern cosmos would be devoid of substance, just energy fields rippling eternally through emptiness. — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2026 The world’s complexity and emptiness simultaneously filled the church. — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 Gone are the extended multi-part suites and intricate guitar workouts, replaced by slight, tender melodies engulfed in a striking emptiness. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026 Years of waiting for his return were answered with disappointing emptiness, a frustration that could be permanent if McGregor never sets foot in another octagon. — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 12 July 2026 Here, emptiness is not vacancy, but composure, proportion and room for thought. — Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Not even foundations are visible, and a long gravel road toward that part of the island leads past occasional farms and vast swaths of emptiness and then, finally, to a muddy riverbank thick with mosquitos. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 He was used to being alone without Robin and postretirement but being alone in the interminable stretch of predawn hours was a different sort of emptiness. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emptiness
  1. hunger
  2. void
  3. vacancy
  4. stomach
  5. blankness
  6. vacuum
  7. appetite
  8. blank
Noun
  • But that disappointment comes with a whole heck of a lot of hunger for Sanchez, a senior defender who earned all-state honors last fall.
    — Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Here are details on tiny frozen pancakes that promise to quash hunger and please even the pickiest of eaters and those that are likely to end up as back-seat crumbles.
    — Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of hunger
Noun
  • Following Reagan’s death, the local community and her young family are navigating a void that had been filled with her love and dedication.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The state is reluctant to fill the void left by federal funding after a series of bankruptcies and cancellations left only one truck maker and one bus maker selling hydrogen vehicles in North America.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of void
Noun
  • Yet across the board, California has still experienced low vacancies and high housing costs — even as the population essentially plateaued or even dipped in some areas.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • New York's proposal attempts to get closer to the second question by capturing layoffs, hiring, hours and vacancies directly from employers.
    — Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of vacancy
Noun
  • And, of course, cyclospora — that stomach parasite making people miserable across the country.
    — Rob Stein, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For mild nausea, massage a few drops of diluted peppermint oil directly on the stomach.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stomach
Noun
  • Not only do the records feature scuff marks and price tags, but poems and doodles—as if the blankness was begging to be filled in.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
  • The terrifying blankness of James Raterman’s military interrogator.
    — Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of blankness
Noun
  • The transparency of the scientific process mixed with the urgency of the crisis created a vacuum of confidence that wellness influencers have eagerly filled.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a vacuum at receiver with Ricky Pearsall done for the season after having recent surgery to repair the PCL in his right knee.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of vacuum
Noun
  • The current resurgence of tennis necklaces reflects the rise of quiet luxury and a growing appetite for investment purchasing and dressing.
    — Pooja Mistry, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Spurred by tech giants’ insatiable appetite for computing power to dominate frontier models, the unprecedented global expansion of AI infrastructure has created demand so enormous that no single country can satisfy it.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of appetite
Noun
  • There had been a portrait that may have depicted the real-life Billy, and it could have been used, but Ondaatje was advised by his poet friend bpNichol to leave the space blank.
    — Amitava Kumar, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Baffled residents, who don’t know whether their data have been stolen or compromised, have been trying their best to fill in the blanks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of blank

Browse Nearby Words

empties
emptiness
empty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Emptiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emptiness. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on emptiness

Nglish: Translation of emptiness for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of rigmarole

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All