Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

run on empty

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.54 in modern English

Syllables: run on emp-ty
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To be losing enthusiasm or willingness; to lack motivation.

Example Sentences

"Near-synonyms: run on fumes, run out of steam"
"He has been running on empty for a while. It's likely the project will be canceled."
"Doctors and nurses on the front lines are running on empty, under increasing duress as the pandemic surges and hospitals are overrun with patients."

Etymology

An allusion to a vehicle operating with the fuel gauge pointing to empty or near empty, likely to stop running in the very near future.

Inflected Forms

runs on empty (present, singular) running on empty (participle, present) ran on empty (past)

Synonyms

run on fumes run out of steam

Questions

What does run on empty mean?: To be losing enthusiasm or willingness; to lack motivation.
Where does run on empty come from?: An allusion to a vehicle operating with the fuel gauge pointing to empty or near empty, likely to stop running in the very near future.

How to pronounce run on empty

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