2 syllables: Em, pty. Stress on Em.
EMP-tee
/ˈɛmpti/
Empty is pronounced EMP-tee (/ˈɛmpti/). It has two syllables (Em-pty), with the stress on "Em". Empty is an adjective meaning containing nothing; lacking substance or occupants. It can describe a container with no content, a place with no people or activity, or a feeling of emptiness. In everyday use, it often contrasts with fullness or occupancy and can convey a sense of hollowness or absence in a physical, emotional, or abstract sense.
adjectiveEmpty is an adjective meaning containing nothing; lacking substance or occupants. It can describe a container with no content, a place with no people or activity, or a feeling of emptiness. In everyday use, it often contrasts with fullness or occupancy and can convey a sense of hollowness or absence in a physical, emotional, or abstract sense.
"The bottle was empty after I finished the water."
"She walked into the empty classroom, listening for someone’s footsteps."
"The promise rang hollow, leaving the room feeling empty and quiet."
Say EM-pee with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈɛm.pi/, UK /ˈɛm.pɪ/, AU /ˈɛm.pɪ/. The first vowel is a short E as in bet, the second is a short lax I or schwa-like vowel in many dialects. Mouth position: start with a short, clipped E, then a quick, relaxed second syllable with lax lips and a close to neutral vowel. Practice by saying ‘DEM-pee’ at first, then drop to the tense /ˈɛm.pi/ as you become steadier.
Common mistakes include softening the first vowel too much (e.g., /i/ as in 'me' or a prolonged /eɪ/), and over-articulating the second syllable with a full 'ee' sound. Another error is reducing the word to a single syllable (empi). Correction: keep a clear short E in the first syllable and use a short, lax vowel in the second; aim for /ˈɛm.pi/ with crisp, quick transition. Use tape feedback to ensure the first syllable stays stressed and the second remains light.
US: clear /ˈɛm.pi/ with rhoticity less influential here; short, crisp first syllable. UK: /ˈɛm.pɪ/ with a slightly shorter second vowel; often less vowel reduction in casual speech. AU: /ˈɛm.pɪ/ with a more centralized second vowel and a tendency toward reduced r-less vowel quality in some speakers. The main differences are the second syllable vowel (/i/ vs ɪ) and vowel length; US tends to be a crisp /i/, UK/AU lean toward a shorter, lax vowel that may border on /ɪ/ or schwa depending on the speaker.
Two challenges: the short, clipped first vowel and the quick, lax second syllable. The contrast between /ɛm/ and a lax /ɪ/ or /ɪ/ in the second syllable can be subtle, so listeners may hear a single syllable or an elongated second vowel. Also, rapid speech yields reductions (the second vowel approaching a schwa). Focus on maintaining equal prominence of the first syllable while making the second syllable light and quick. Practice with minimal pairs like /ˈɛm.pi/ vs /ˈɛm.pɪ/ to sharpen the difference.
A notable feature is that the primary stress remains on the first syllable in all common variants, even in connected speech where the second syllable can be diminished. The second syllable always stays short and quickly released, never carries a full vowel. This yields a rhythm: a strong first beat followed by a weak, brief second beat, which gives the word its characteristic snappy cadence.
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Empty entered English via Middle English from the Old French empté, ultimately tracing to the Latin in- 'not' plus amittere 'to send away' or ‘to let go.’ The form and meaning evolved through French empté and English borrowings to express the absence of content. In early usage, empty described both literal lacking content (a vessel with nothing in it) and figurative emptiness (deliberate voids in claims or space). The semantic shift toward psychological or abstract emptiness rose in the modern period, aligning with phrases like empty promise and empty space. The word’s evolution reflects broader linguistic trends of using negation prefixes to create precise states (not full, not occupied) and the increasing versatility of “empty” as both a descriptor and a metaphor. First known uses in English literature appear in the 13th-14th centuries in contexts related to spatial and material absence, with the term solidifying its current sense by the 16th century and expanding with metaphorical applications in the 19th-20th centuries as industrial and urban life highlighted spaces of emptiness and futility.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Empty" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Empty" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Empty"
-nty sounds
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