20+ Powerful Similes for Empty With Meaning & Examples (2026)

Sometimes the word “empty” just doesn’t feel strong enough. As a writer, you want your reader to see and feel the emptiness you’re describing. That’s exactly where similes help.

In simple terms, similes compare one thing to another using the words “like” or “as.” They make your writing clearer, more vivid, and more emotional. For example, instead of saying “The room was empty,” you might say, “The room was as empty as a ghost town.” Instantly, the image becomes stronger.

In this guide, we’ll explore the meaning of similes, look at helpful examples of similes, and learn how to use similes in writing. By the end, you’ll be ready to create your own creative writing similes with confidence.

Let’s explore!

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20 Similes for Empty

1. As empty as a ghost town

Meaning: Completely deserted.
Explanation: Ghost towns are abandoned places.

Examples:

• The streets were as empty as a ghost town at midnight.
• After the event, the hall felt as empty as a ghost town.

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2. Like an empty shell

Meaning: Lacking life or emotion.
Explanation: Suggests something hollow inside.

Examples:

• Without her friends, she felt like an empty shell.
• The building stood like an empty shell.

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3. As hollow as a drum

Meaning: Completely empty inside.
Explanation: Drums have hollow centers.

Examples:

• His words sounded as hollow as a drum.
• The box felt as hollow as a drum.

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4. Like a deserted island

Meaning: Lonely and empty.
Explanation: Islands without people feel isolated.

Examples:

• The playground looked like a deserted island.
• I felt like a deserted island without my team.

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5. As bare as a winter tree

Meaning: Completely without anything.
Explanation: Winter trees have no leaves.

Examples:

• The yard was as bare as a winter tree.
• His calendar looked as bare as a winter tree.

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6. Like an unused notebook

Meaning: Fresh but empty.
Explanation: Suggests blank potential.

Examples:

• Her mind felt like an unused notebook.
• The page lay like an unused notebook.

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7. As vacant as an abandoned house

Meaning: Totally unoccupied.
Explanation: Houses left behind feel empty.

Examples:

• The office was as vacant as an abandoned house.
• His stare looked as vacant as an abandoned house.

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8. Like a dry well

Meaning: Completely drained.
Explanation: A well without water is empty.

Examples:

• My energy felt like a dry well.
• The supply ran like a dry well.

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9. As silent as empty space

Meaning: Quiet and empty.
Explanation: Space has no sound.

Examples:

• The room was as silent as empty space.
• The night felt as silent as empty space.

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10. Like a blank page

Meaning: Completely empty and ready.
Explanation: Suggests nothing written yet.

Examples:

• His expression was like a blank page.
• The future looked like a blank page.

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11. As empty as an empty cup

Meaning: Totally drained.

Examples:

• After the game, I felt as empty as an empty cup.
• Her wallet was as empty as an empty cup.

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12. Like a room after everyone leaves

Meaning: Suddenly empty.

Examples:

• The house felt like a room after everyone leaves.
• My inbox looked like a room after everyone leaves.

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13. As lonely as the last seat

Meaning: Empty and isolated.

Examples:

• He stood as lonely as the last seat.
• The bench looked as lonely as the last seat.

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14. Like a blown-out candle

Meaning: Without life or energy.

Examples:

• She felt like a blown-out candle.
• The mood dropped like a blown-out candle.

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15. As void as the night sky

Meaning: Deeply empty.

Examples:

• His heart felt as void as the night sky.
• The silence was as void as the night sky.

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16. Like a forgotten playground

Meaning: Empty and quiet.

Examples:

• The park sat like a forgotten playground.
• The school yard looked like a forgotten playground.

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17. As empty as a dropped balloon

Meaning: Suddenly without air or energy.

Examples:

• My excitement fell as empty as a dropped balloon.
• The room felt as empty as a dropped balloon.

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18. Like a cleared shelf

Meaning: Nothing left.

Examples:

• The store looked like a cleared shelf.
• His desk sat like a cleared shelf.

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19. As vacant as the early morning streets

Meaning: Quiet and deserted.

Examples:

• The roads were as vacant as the early morning streets.
• The lobby stood as vacant as the early morning streets.

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20. Like a story without words

Meaning: Meaningfully empty.

Examples:

• The painting felt like a story without words.
• His speech sounded like a story without words.

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🧠 Practical Exercise: Test Your Skills

Questions

1. The town was as empty as a ________.
2. Her mind felt like a blank ________.
3. The office stood as vacant as an ________ house.
4. My energy was like a dry ________.
5. The park looked like a forgotten ________.
6. His words sounded as hollow as a ________.
7. The room felt like an empty ________.
8. The shelf was like a ________ shelf.
9. The silence was as void as the ________ sky.
10. After the party, the hall was like a room after everyone ________.

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✅ Answers With Explanations

1. ghost town — means completely deserted.
2. page — blank and empty.
3. abandoned — no one inside.
4. well — drained completely.
5. playground — quiet and unused.
6. drum — hollow inside.
7. shell — empty within.
8. cleared — nothing left.
9. night — vast emptiness.
10. leaves — suddenly empty.

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Conclusion

Similes are simple but powerful tools that bring your writing to life. Instead of just saying something is empty, you can create strong images that readers instantly understand. These simile sentences help your ideas feel more vivid and emotional.

Now it’s your turn. Practice creating your own creative writing similes using everyday objects. The more you experiment, the better you’ll become at how to use similes in writing effectively.

Keep writing you’re doing great!