empty-handed
adjective
emp·ty-hand·ed
ˌem(p)-tē-ˈhan-dəd 
1
: having or bringing nothing
2
: having acquired or gained nothing
came back empty-handed
Examples of empty-handed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unless the instructions specifically asked you to come empty-handed, bring a bottle of wine or a six-pack of your favorite non-alcoholic beverage.
—
Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Any good house guest, whether passing through for a dinner party or staying all weekend, knows not to ever arrive empty-handed.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 July 2025
Unfortunately, many of those motivated buyers are walking away from the summer empty-handed because the supply of star players was extraordinarily scarce.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Even after winning big, customers have walked away empty-handed when strip mall game rooms refused to pay.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for empty-handed
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Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Any good house guest, whether passing through for a dinner party or staying all weekend, knows not to ever arrive empty-handed.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 13 July 2025
Unfortunately, many of those motivated buyers are walking away from the summer empty-handed because the supply of star players was extraordinarily scarce.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Even after winning big, customers have walked away empty-handed when strip mall game rooms refused to pay.
—Josh Salman, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for empty-handed
Cite this Entry
“Empty-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty-handed. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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