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empty words

empty words

3 5.1
Talk that has no real meaning and is not useful
  • noun
translation icon : palabras vacías
  • You are just making excuses with empty words.
  • just empty words

And that's not just empty words from holy scriptures.

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Examples

  • This is just a bunch of empty words, metaphors, and analogies with no real "meat" to it.

    Blog text (16)
  • Your transparent tactics and empty words deserve no respect or consideration, and none will be given in the jungle that is climate, etc.

    Blog text (34)
  • Are they all empty words?

  • But what do these empty words mean?

    Blog text (28)
  • Let no one deceive you with empty words.

  • Don't bother with more empty words.

    Blog text (11)
  • We the People have had too much of his empty words and broken promises, and the nation is on the brink of disaster.

    Blog text (25)
  • You promised Tino greatness and gave him empty words.

  • "Usually talk of mandates is just empty words and false claims," says James Stimson, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina.

    Blog text (4)
  • His promises were nothing but empty words that failed to inspire any trust.

Synonyms

nonsense
vsempty words
578 2.5

Words or ideas that do not make sense

adds a notion of being insincere or unproductive rather than just illogical
rhetoric
vsempty words
265 7.0

Words that sound impressive but have little real meaning

covers similar emptiness but with less emphasis on impressing others
trash
vsempty words
  • Slang
102 3.1

Words or writing that have no value

adds that the words are often insincere or serve no real purpose
wind
vsempty words
  • UK
24 8.6

Empty showy talk with little real meaning

places more weight on insincerity and lack of practical value
hot air
vsempty words
  • Informal
17 5.3

Talk that sounds important but has no real meaning

is closer to plain insincerity or uselessness rather than showy talk
malarkey
vsempty words
  • Informal
13 8.8

Talk that is not true and tries to trick people

stresses lack of real substance and unproductive intent rather than playfulness
blah
vsempty words
  • Informal
5 9.3

Words or ideas that sound important but have little real meaning

is not just pretentious but emphasizes being insincere or unproductive
prattle
vsempty words
5 8.7

Silly talk about unimportant things

is broader and includes insincere or unproductive adult talk too
palaver
vsempty words
  • Informal
2 8.8

A lot of talk that sounds important but says nothing

is similar but can be less elaborate and more plainly unproductive
bunkum
vsempty words
1 9.9

Talk that is false and meant to fool or impress people

is the more general idea of insincere or unproductive language
idle talk
vsempty words
1 5.8

Casual talk about small, unimportant things, often gossip

focuses more on insincerity and lack of usefulness rather than mere triviality
empty talk
vsempty words
1 4.3

Words that sound important but have no real meaning or action

is the same idea but stresses insincerity and lack of usefulness
idle words
vsempty words
1 8.0

Words that people say but do not mean

focuses more on being insincere or unproductive rather than just vacant
nothing but nonsense
vsempty words
  • Informal
1 6.0

Things people say that are completely untrue or pointless

expresses the same worthlessness but with focus on insincerity
trumpery
vsempty words
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Worthless or silly talk that has no useful ideas

is broader, covering empty talk that is not only showy but insincere
verbality
vsempty words
9.9

Speech that sounds important but has no real action

adds the idea of being unproductive or insincere beyond mere words
nothing but tripe
vsempty words
  • Informal
9.5

Words or ideas that are complete nonsense and worthless

is similar but implies the talk is also insincere or unhelpful
lack-latin
vsempty words
9.9

Language full of long hard words used to seem clever

is the general lack of substance without the pretentious learning angle

Antonyms

327 3.3

Something that has a clear purpose or that is important

How Insincere

bluster
17 7.2
empty words
3 5.1
nonsense
578 2.5
idle talk
1 5.8

Surface Forms

empty words singular
empty words plural

Morphology

empty + words

The meaning 'words or statements that have no real meaning or substance' is directly and compositionally derived from 'empty' (lacking content or sincerity) + 'words' (utterances). This is a transparent, cross-linguistically common metaphorical composition that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer.

Etymology

Empty words paints a simple picture: the words are like empty boxes with nothing inside. When someone uses empty words, their speech sounds nice but gives no real meaning or promise. That's why the phrase means 'words that have no real value or meaning'.