empty-handed

/ˌempti ˈhændɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌempti ˈhændɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhan-dəd/ (ame, mw)

empty-handed — adjective

1. having brought nothing with you, especially to a social event or when returning

1.形容詞B2
釋義

having brought nothing with you, especially to a social event or when returning from a place where you could have taken something

例句

Wei showed up at the birthday party empty-handed, having forgotten to buy a gift.

show up + empty-handed (social occasion)

The security guard watched a teenager leave the electronics store empty-handed.

同義詞
  • bare-handed

    more physical, often suggesting manual labour without tools or gloves

  • with nothing

    less concise; used in less formal speech

反義詞
  • laden

    carrying a heavy load of things

  • loaded

    carrying many items, often with difficulty

文法句型

empty-handed after verb of motion

用法筆記

Commonly used with motion verbs such as show up, arrive, leave, come, go, return, and walk. Typically describes a concrete, physical situation where you bring nothing with you.

常見錯誤

❌I came empty hand to the meeting.
✅I came empty-handed to the meeting.
💡'empty-handed' is always hyphenated as a single compound adjective.

2. not having obtained something that you tried to get, for example a job, a contra

2.形容詞B2
釋義

not having obtained something that you tried to get, for example a job, a contract, or a prize

例句

Aisha went to three job interviews last month but came home empty-handed.

come home empty-handed after effort

The treasure hunters dug all morning in the rain but ended up empty-handed.

end up empty-handed after search

同義詞
  • unsuccessful

    broader register; used in any failure context, formal or informal

  • fruitless

    more formal and literary; describes the effort itself rather than the person

反義詞
  • successful

    having achieved what you aimed for

  • victorious

    stronger, suggesting a clear win over competition

文法句型

empty-handed after effort verb

用法筆記

Frequently appears after verbs describing sustained effort: end up, come up, walk away, finish, return. Often interchangeable with 'without success' but adds a slightly more vivid, disappointed tone.

常見錯誤

❌She came empty-handed from the test results' (wrong — test results are not something you try to obtain through effort).
✅She came empty-handed from the job fair.
💡'empty-handed' in this sense implies you tried and failed to get something.