emptying

present participle of empty
as in clearing
to remove the contents of empty the room before starting to paint the ceiling

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 emptying Freeman said the Braves have done a good job keeping the Dodgers’ hitters off-balance by emptying their bullpen, sending in a fresh pitcher every couple of innings. — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 With smarter obstacle avoidance, self-emptying docks, and mopping pads that actually scrub, today’s cleaning bots deliver an instant quality-of-life upgrade. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026 Palencia said the gunman carried two magazines for the weapon and reloaded them after emptying the first one before turning the gun at himself. — CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 Dieterich walked through the kitchen and exited the building through an unlocked door used by inmates assigned to kitchen duties, including emptying garbage outside. — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026 Emigration has also hollowed out entire professions, emptying hospitals of health workers, schools of teachers, and even churches of priests and pastors, on a scale that Cubans have never seen before. — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026 That way, the Wildfire can be used more freely in hazardous areas without worrying about emptying the hangars. — New Atlas, 16 Sep. 2026 The 26-year-old took a few steps towards the slowly emptying South Stand, and, within seconds, was joined by his daughter Maria Alice, who ran out to him. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 The amount of leaves that can be gathered before your Shop-Vac’s bin needs emptying is measured in cubic feet as well as bushels, which are slightly larger units of measurement. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for emptying
Verb
  • Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle pledged another $8 million to continue clearing debris from south suburban areas affected by the August storms.
    — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Paying the court isn’t the same as clearing the department’s record, and the handoff between the two takes time.
    — Karen Koehler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Shell is evacuating nonessential personnel from six offshore platforms, while BP is removing nonessential workers and securing its offshore facilities, the companies said Tuesday.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Kelly hopes hundreds of residents living in low-lying areas will consider evacuating.
    — Matthew Mulligan, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • One of Stallone's earliest gigs was cleaning the lion cages at Central Park Zoo.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Memory foam typically requires handwashing or spot cleaning instead.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • This severe segmentation can be emotionally draining and erodes commitment to the organization.
    — Catherine Bell, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Teams devised an unprecedented bit of spaceship surgery to replace the valve without draining the propellant and disassembling the spacecraft, steps that would have triggered a much longer delay.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • With Hageman vacating her seat, nine Republicans are vying for the GOP nomination and two Democrats are competing for their nomination.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams is moving to second base for the Washington Nationals, vacating the only position he's played during his five seasons with the club.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • By eliminating the Braves without needing the full five games, the Dodgers afforded themselves three days off, rather than one, before the league championship series.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Consistently blowing past the treat line doesn’t automatically mean eliminating the category.
    — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Emptying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/emptying. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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