Cool MateEmpty vs There's nothing in there
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Empty
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
There's nothing in there
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Empty
| Empty | There's nothing in there | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈempti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈempti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðeərz ˈnʌθɪŋ ɪn ðeə//🇺🇸 //ðɛrz ˈnʌθɪŋ ɪn ðɛr// |
| Meaning | Having nothing inside it. | There isn't anything inside that place. |
| Example | The box was empty, so I decided to fill it with toys. | When I opened the drawer, I realized there's nothing in there. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | appear, be, feel, completely, entirely, quite, of, appear, be, feel, completely, entirely, quite, of | look in there, check in there, say there's nothing |
| Antonyms | full, occupied, loaded | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'emptied' instead of 'empty' for describing a current state., Saying 'an emptyness' instead of 'emptiness' when referring to the state of being empty. | Confusing with 'there's something in there' - learners might say the opposite., Saying 'There is no thing in there' instead, which sounds awkward., Using it in formal contexts where a more precise description is needed. |
| Usage notes | Use 'empty' to describe physical spaces, containers, or feelings. It may not be appropriate for formal writing when referring to more abstract concepts like 'empty promises'. | Used to indicate that a space or container is empty. Typically informal, suitable for casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Empty vs There's nothing in there
What's the difference between Empty and There's nothing in there?
Empty: Having nothing inside it. There's nothing in there: There isn't anything inside that place.
Which is more common: Empty and There's nothing in there?
Empty is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Empty: The box was empty, so I decided to fill it with toys. There's nothing in there: When I opened the drawer, I realized there's nothing in there.
Can I use Empty and There's nothing in there interchangeably?
Not always. Empty and There's nothing in there are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.