English Reference
Idiom idiom

empty words


Any type of talk with little meaning; a message that seems to contain meaningful content but is actually vapid.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

His promises are just empty words.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician gave a long speech, but the voters felt it was full of empty words.

COMPLEX

Despite the grand rhetoric used during the negotiations, the final agreement proved to be nothing more than empty words designed to pacify the public.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    bad word

    A vulgar word.

  2. 02

    breathe a word

    To divulge even part of a secret (usually used with a negative).

  3. 03

    dicky

    [Cockney slang]word

  4. 04

    dirty word

    The name of a topic that a person prefers not to hear or discuss.

  5. 05

    empty suit

    An ineffective or incompetent person in a place of authority.

  6. 06

    empty the clip

    To compete with great vigor, especially by making numerous scoring attempts.

  7. 07

    empty the tank

    To make the utmost effort; to contribute to the absolute limit of one's energy and abilities.

  8. 08

    from the word go

    From the very beginning; from the outset; immediately upon starting.

Last updated August 10, 2026