empty

/ˈɛm(p).ti/

//ˈɛm(p).ti// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"empty" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“empty” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,533 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#2,533
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

empty vs EMT
0% similar
empty vs enmity
67% similar
empty vs Emmy
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for empty
PropertyValue
Headwordempty
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɛm(p).ti/
Letters5
Frequency rank#2,533
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “empty” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). empty lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for empty is 5 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɛm(p).ti/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,533 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for empty, with forms such as "emmpty", "emppty", and "emptty". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "EMT", "enmity", "Emmy", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English emty, amty, from Old English ǣmtiġ, ǣmettiġ (“vacant, empty, free, idle, unmarried”, literally “without must or obligation, leisurely”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out”) + Proto-Germanic *mōtijô, *mōtô (“must, obligation, need”), *mōtiþô… The correct English form is empty, spelled E-M-P-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.
  2. 2
    Containing no elements (as of a string, array, or set), opposed to being null (having no valid value).
  3. 3
    Free; clear; devoid; often with of.
  4. 4
    Having nothing to carry, emptyhanded; unburdened.
  5. 5
    Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; said of language.
  6. 6
    Unable to satisfy; hollow; vain.
  7. 7
    Destitute of reality, or real existence; unsubstantial.
  8. 8
    Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy.
  9. 9
    Not pregnant; not producing offspring when expected to do so during the breeding season.
  10. 10
    Producing nothing; unfruitful.
  11. 11
    Hungry.
  12. 12
    Lacking between the onset of tasting and the finish.

Etymology

From Middle English emty, amty, from Old English ǣmtiġ, ǣmettiġ (“vacant, empty, free, idle, unmarried”, literally “without must or obligation, leisurely”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out”) + Proto-Germanic *mōtijô, *mōtô (“must, obligation, need”), *mōtiþô (“ability, accommodation”), from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“measure; to acquire, possess, be in command”). Related to Old English ġeǣmtigian (“to empty”), ǣmetta (“leisure”), mōtan (“can, to be allowed”). More at mote, meet. The interconsonantal excrescent p is a euphonic insertion dating from Middle English.

Synonyms

emptyempty as a pauper's purseempty as the tomb on Eastercleanleertoomunfilledvacantvacuumlikevacuousvoid

Antonyms

cramfulcramfullfreightedfraughtfulljammedjam-packedjam rammedladenloadednon-emptypackedpacked to the gillspacked to the raftersrammedrammed to the raftersstuffedstuffed to the gills

This word in other languages

vacío(Español)vide(Français)leer(Deutsch)vazio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: emmpty,emppty,emptty,emptyy,empyt,emtpy,epmty,mepty

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of empty - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

emmpty1emppty1emptty1emptyy1empyt2emtpy2epmty2mepty2
Edit distance from "empty"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "empty"?
"empty" is spelled E-M-P-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛm(p).ti/.
What does "empty" mean?
As an adjective, "empty" means: Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.
What words are commonly confused with "empty"?
"empty" is commonly confused with "EMT", "enmity", "Emmy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "empty"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "empty" is /ˈɛm(p).ti/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "empty"?
From Middle English emty, amty, from Old English ǣmtiġ, ǣmettiġ (“vacant, empty, free, idle, unmarried”, literally “without must or obligation, leisurely”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out”) + Proto-Germanic *mōtijô, *mōtô (“must, obligation, need”... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “empty”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-M-P-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛm(p).ti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “EMT” - see the side-by-side comparison. empty vs EMT
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list