void

void — noun

1. a completely empty area, such as a large unfilled space inside something or the

1.nounB2
Definition

a completely empty area, such as a large unfilled space inside something or the emptiness of the sky, sea, or outer space when nothing can be seen.

Example

Pim stared into the dark void of the cave, unable to see the far wall.

collocation: stare into the void

The demolition left a massive void where the old hospital once stood.

Common collocations
  • dark void
  • vast void
  • stare into the void
  • look into the void
Synonyms
  • gap

    narrower — a gap is typically a smaller opening between two things

  • hole

    more concrete — a hole goes through a surface or into the ground

  • vacuum

    more technical — suggests a space with no air or matter at all

Antonyms
  • fullness

    the state of being completely filled

2. a strong feeling of sadness and emptiness that you experience after losing a lov

2.nounB2
Definition

a strong feeling of sadness and emptiness that you experience after losing a loved person, a meaningful relationship, or an important part of your life.

Example

After Baraka's grandfather died, he felt a deep void that nothing could fill.

collocation: fill a void

When she retired from teaching, the void in Élise's daily life was hard to bear.

Common collocations
  • fill the void
  • leave a void
  • feel a void
  • deep void
  • painful void
  • void in one's life
Synonyms
  • emptiness

    more general — can describe any lack of meaning or purpose

  • hollowness

    emphasises a painful, empty feeling inside

  • gap

    less emotional — can describe any missing element

Antonyms
  • fulfilment

    a deep sense of satisfaction and completeness

Usage Note

Often paired with the verbs 'fill' or 'leave' to describe the impact of a loss. This sense is metaphorical — it does not refer to a physical space.

Common Mistakes

I feel a void in my stomach because I am hungry.
I feel a void in my heart since my best friend moved away.
The emotional void is about loss or absence, not physical sensations like hunger.

void — adjective

void — verb

Word family

  • voidness
    nounC2
  • voidable
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe something that is not acceptable under the law, but they differ in scope. 'Void' (adjective/1) means a document or agreement has no legal force — it is as if it never existed. 'Invalid' is broader: a ticket, a password, an argument, or a licence can be invalid, not just legal documents. 'Null' is nearly identical to 'void' in legal contexts and is often paired with it in the fixed phrase 'null and void'. 'Illegal' is different — it describes actions (like stealing) that break the law, not documents that lack legal force. For example: a court can declare a contract void because of a technical flaw; but the act of signing under threat is illegal.

invalid ↗null ↗illegal ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • void in the market

Adverbs

  • completely void
  • legally void
  • automatically void

Phrases

Prepositions

  • void of

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinEnglish

The word 'void' comes from Old French 'voide' meaning 'empty, vacant', which traces back to Latin 'vocivus' meaning 'empty, unoccupied'. Its earliest uses in English (around the 1300s) described physical emptiness, like an empty container or a vacant piece of land. By the 1400s, the legal sense of 'having no force' had developed, as the idea of emptiness was extended to describe documents or agreements that were 'empty' of legal authority. The emotional sense — a feeling of emptiness from loss — emerged in the 1600s.