Emptying

ˈɛmptɪɪŋ

verbBeginnerCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

The act of making something empty by removing its contents.

ˈɛmptɪɪŋ

verbneutralBeginner
General

To remove the contents of something.

She was emptying her purse, looking for her keys.

💡 Simply: It's like taking everything out of a box or a container! Like when you're emptying your school bag at the end of the day, or when the waiter empties your glass.

👶 For kids: Taking all the stuff out of something to make it empty.

More Examples

2

The workers are emptying the grain silos.

3

They were emptying the water from the swimming pool.

How It's Used

Household

"Emptying the dishwasher after dinner."

Environmental Science

"Emptying the trash bin regularly helps maintain cleanliness."

From Middle English *emptien*, from Old English *ēmtian* (“to empty”), from *ēmete* (“empty”).

The word 'emptying' has been used in English for several centuries, reflecting the common need to remove contents from various containers and spaces.

Memory tip

Think of 'empty' and add '-ing' to show the action is ongoing.

emptingemptiying

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written