Empty vs. Nothing — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Empty and Nothing
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Compare with Definitions
Empty
Containing nothing; not filled or occupied
The room was empty of furniture
She put down her empty cup
Nothing
"Nothing", used as a pronoun subject, is the absence of a something or particular thing that one might expect or desire to be present ("We found nothing", "Nothing was there") or the inactivity of a thing or things that are usually or could be active ("Nothing moved", "Nothing happened"). As a predicate or complement "nothing" is the absence of meaning, value, worth, relevance, standing, or significance ("It is a tale/ Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,/ Signifying nothing"; "The affair meant nothing"; "I'm nothing in their eyes").
Empty
(of words or a gesture) lacking meaning or sincerity
Their promises were empty words
Nothing
Not anything; no single thing
I said nothing
They found nothing wrong
There's nothing you can do
Empty
Having no value or purpose
Her life felt empty and meaningless
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Nothing
Having no prospect of progress; of no value
He had a series of nothing jobs
Empty
Remove all the contents of (a container)
Pockets were emptied of loose change
We empty the till at closing time
Nothing
Not at all
He looks nothing like the others
A man who cared nothing for her
Empty
A bottle or glass left empty of its contents
The barman collected the empties
Nothing
Something that has no existence.
Empty
Having nothing inside or on the surface; holding or containing nothing
An empty bag.
An empty lot.
Nothing
Something that has no quantitative value; zero
A score of two to nothing.
Empty
(Mathematics) Having no elements or members; null
An empty set.
Nothing
One that has no substance or importance; a nonentity
"A nothing is a dreadful thing to hold onto" (Edna O'Brien).
Empty
Having no occupants; not being used
An empty chair.
Nothing
Insignificant or worthless
"the utterly nothing role of a wealthy suitor" (Bosley Crowther).
Empty
Not having an incumbent or occupant; unfilled
An empty post at the embassy.
Nothing
In no way or degree; not at all
She looks nothing like her sister.
Empty
Not put to purposeful use; idle
Empty hours.
Nothing
Not any thing; no thing.
Empty
Lacking force or power
An empty threat.
Nothing
An absence of anything, including empty space, brightness, darkness, matter, or a vacuum.
Empty
Lacking purpose or substance; meaningless
An empty life.
Nothing
Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance.
- What happened to your face?
- It's nothing.
- It's nothing.
Empty
Needing nourishment; hungry
"More fierce and more inexorable far / Than empty tigers or the roaring sea" (Shakespeare).
Nothing
A trivial remark especially in the term sweet nothings.
Empty
Devoid; destitute
Empty of pity.
Nothing
A nobody insignificant person.
Empty
To remove the contents of
Emptied the dishwasher.
Nothing
(archaic) Not at all; in no way.
Empty
To transfer or pour off completely
Empty the ashes into a pail.
Nothing
Not anything; no thing (in the widest sense of the word thing); - opposed to anything and something.
Yet had his aspect nothing of severe.
Empty
To unburden; relieve
Empty oneself of doubt.
Nothing
Nonexistence; nonentity; absence of being; nihility; nothingness.
Empty
To become empty
The theater emptied after the performance.
Nothing
A thing of no account, value, or note; something irrelevant and impertinent; something of comparative unimportance; utter insignificance; a trifle.
Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought.
'T is nothing, says the fool; but, says the friend,This nothing, sir, will bring you to your end.
Empty
To discharge its contents
The river empties into a bay.
Nothing
A cipher; naught.
Empty
An empty container.
Nothing
In no degree; not at all; in no wise.
Adam, with such counsel nothing swayed.
The influence of reason in producing our passions is nothing near so extensive as is commonly believed.
Empty
Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.
An empty purse
An empty jug
An empty stomach
Nothing
A quantity of no importance;
It looked like nothing I had ever seen before
Reduced to nil all the work we had done
We racked up a pathetic goose egg
It was all for naught
I didn't hear zilch about it
Empty
Containing no elements (as of a string, array, or set), opposed to being null (having no valid value).
Nothing
A nonexistent thing
Empty
(obsolete) Free; clear; devoid; often with of.
Nothing
In no way; to no degree;
He looks nothing like his father
Empty
Having nothing to carry, emptyhanded; unburdened.
Empty
Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; said of language.
Empty words, or threats
Empty offer
Empty promises
Empty
Unable to satisfy; hollow; vain.
Empty pleasures
Empty
Destitute of reality, or real existence; unsubstantial.
Empty dreams
Empty
Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy.
Empty brains
An empty coxcomb
Empty
(of some female animals, especially cows and sheep) Not pregnant; not producing offspring when expected to do so during the breeding season.
Empty cow rates have increased in recent years.
Empty
Producing nothing; unfruitful.
An empty vine
Empty
To make empty; to void; to remove the contents of.
To empty a well or a cistern
The cinema emptied quickly after the end of the film.
Empty
(intransitive) Of a river, duct, etc: to drain or flow toward an ultimate destination.
Salmon River empties on the W shore about 2 miles below Bear River.
Empty
A container, especially a bottle, whose contents have been used up, leaving it empty.
Put the empties out to be recycled.
Empty
Containing nothing; not holding or having anything within; void of contents or appropriate contents; not filled; - said of an inclosure, or a container, as a box, room, house, etc.; as, an empty chest, room, purse, or pitcher; an empty stomach; empty shackles.
Empty
Free; clear; devoid; - often with of.
I shall find you empty of that fault.
Empty
Having nothing to carry; unburdened.
When ye go ye shall not go empty.
Empty
Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; - said of language; as, empty words, or threats.
Words are but empty thanks.
Empty
Unable to satisfy; unsatisfactory; hollow; vain; - said of pleasure, the world, etc.
Pleas'd in the silent shade with empty praise.
Empty
Producing nothing; unfruitful; - said of a plant or tree; as, an empty vine.
Seven empty ears blasted with the east wind.
Empty
Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy; as, empty brains; an empty coxcomb.
That in civility thou seem'st so empty.
Empty
Destitute of reality, or real existence; unsubstantial; as, empty dreams.
Empty
An empty box, crate, cask, etc.; - used in commerce, esp. in transportation of freight; as, "special rates for empties."
Empty
To deprive of the contents; to exhaust; to make void or destitute; to make vacant; to pour out; to discharge; as, to empty a vessel; to empty a well or a cistern.
The clouds . . . empty themselves upon the earth.
Empty
To discharge itself; as, a river empties into the ocean.
Empty
To become empty.
Empty
A container that has been emptied;
Return all empties to the store
Empty
Make void or empty of contents;
Empty the box
The alarm emptied the building
Empty
Become empty or void of its content;
The room emptied
Empty
Leave behind empty; move out of;
You must vacate your office by tonight
Empty
Remove;
Empty the water
Empty
Excrete or discharge from the body
Empty
Holding or containing nothing;
An empty glass
An empty room
Full of empty seats
Empty hours
Empty
Devoid of significance or point;
Empty promises
A hollow victory
Vacuous comments
Empty
Having nothing inside;
An empty sphere
Empty
Needing nourishment;
After skipped lunch the men were empty by suppertime
Empty-bellied children
Empty
Emptied of emotion;
After the violent argument he felt empty
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