Meaning & use
emptied
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“emptied” is a form of “empty”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
past tense of empty: removed everything from a container or place.
Grammar: Can take an object (she emptied the box) or stand alone (the room emptied quickly).
Patterns
- emptied something
- emptied something into something
- emptied out
He emptied his pockets onto the table.
The hall emptied in less than five minutes after the talk.
She emptied the water into the sink.
verbintransitivetechnical
past tense of empty: (of a river) flowed into a larger body of water.
Grammar: Often followed by 'into': the river emptied into the sea.
Patterns
- emptied into something
The small stream emptied into the lake near the campsite.
The river emptied into the bay after heavy rain.
Word forms
| third person singular | empties |
|---|---|
| past tense | emptied |
| past participle | emptied |
| -ing form | emptying |
Common combinations
- emptied the bin
- I emptied the bin before the garbage truck arrived.
- emptied out
- She emptied out the drawer looking for her keys.
- emptied into
- He emptied the soup into a large bowl.
- the room emptied
- The room emptied as soon as the fire alarm rang.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cleared
- Often used for removing people or things from a place, and can suggest a more organized removal.
- drained
- Used mostly for liquids; it suggests letting liquid flow out rather than taking things out by hand.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: emptied or empty?
emptied vs empty
Empty is the base form and adjective; emptied is only the past tense or past participle.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Emptied' is correct: the final y of 'empty' changes to i before -ed. The other spellings are not English words.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “emptied”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.