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emptily

emptily

1 5.9
In a way that shows no feeling or life
  • adverb
  • /ˈɛmptɪli/
translation icon : vacíamente
  • Rose stares emptily for a moment, then bites her lips together.
  • stared emptily
  • said emptily

Examples

  • Today I find myself staring emptily at the minimal decorations inside this brick box church.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Unlike the Met, the museum seemed emptily monumental, too big for its actual holdings.

    Academic text (1998)
  • "She'll die if we try it again," he said emptily.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "What I think," Dr. Harmony said emptily.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • "Four million," said Chemayev emptily.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Did they sit on a bench on Sundays, too, staring emptily out over the water?

    Fiction book (1995)
  • For months, I woke in the night to find she was awake, too, staring emptily up at the ceiling in the darkness.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Midge only stared emptily in the same direction as ever.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Gerard gazed off emptily into the yard, ignoring the show.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • She stared emptily at the wall, lost in her thoughts.

Synonyms

impassively
vsemptily
4 6.8

In a way that shows no feeling or reaction

is about emptiness in contents or genuine feeling rather than mere nonreaction
blandly
vsemptily
4 5.2

In a calm way that shows no strong feeling or interest

points to a purer sense of emptiness in content or emotion
numbly
vsemptily
3 5.8

In a way that shows no feeling in the body or mind

is broader, meaning empty in content or lacking real emotional quality
listlessly
vsemptily
3 5.7

In a way that shows little energy or interest

is about being empty or void of real feeling, not only tiredness
vacantly
vsemptily
3 4.8

In a blank way that shows no interest or thought

emphasizes overall emptiness, not only absence of thought or gaze
hollowly
vsemptily
1 6.6

In a way that sounds empty and not sincere

is broader, meaning empty in contents or lacking real feeling
lifelessly
vsemptily
1 5.4

In a way that shows no energy or interest

centres on emptiness of content or feeling rather than just low energy
unemotionally
vsemptily
1 5.0

In a calm way that does not show feelings

covers empty manner including missing warmth or actual contents
insensibly
vsemptily
1 7.4

In a way that shows no feeling or awareness

covers general emptiness including lack of content or genuine feeling
vacuously
vsemptily
  • Formal
1 8.4

Acts without thought or understanding

is wider, meaning empty in feeling, content, or emotional presence
unenthusiastically
vsemptily
1 5.6

In a way that shows little interest or energy

focuses on emptiness of feeling or content rather than mere low enthusiasm
emotionlessly
vsemptily
6.9

Without showing any feeling

stresses emptiness in content or feeling rather than only lack of emotion
inexpressively
vsemptily
7.4

In a way that shows no feeling on the face

focuses more widely on being empty or lacking real emotion inside
vapidly
vsemptily
8.0

In a dull way that shows no interest

describes emptiness more in terms of lacking real feeling or content

How Empty

hollowly
1 6.6
emptily
1 5.9
vacantly
3 4.8

Surface Forms

emptily positive

Morphology

emptily = empty (transparent) = empty + ly

Formed by the adjective 'empty' + the adverbial suffix '-ly'; meaning is directly derived and clearly predictable.

Etymology

The word emptily comes from empty ('not full') and the ending -ly ('in a ... way'), so it means doing something 'in an empty way'. That's why emptily describes actions or faces done with no real feeling or substance.