empty nester

noun

empty nest·​er -ˈne-stər How to pronounce empty nester (audio)
: a parent whose children have grown and moved away from home

Examples of empty nester in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But what does being an 'empty nester' mean in 2025? — Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 18 June 2026 This isn't the first time Paltrow has gotten candid about her struggles with being an empty nester. — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 27 May 2026 Geoff was concerned about his children departing for college, leaving him and his wife as empty nesters. — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 Along First Street, fashionable young couples and wealthy empty nesters strolled by sidewalk pergolas. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for empty nester

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of empty nester was in 1958

Rhymes for empty nester

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Browse Nearby Words

empty into
empty nester
empty-nest syndrome
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Cite this Entry

“Empty nester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty%20nester. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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