Cool MateAll gone vs Empty
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
All gone
Top 2,000 (common)
Empty
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Most common: Empty
| All gone | Empty | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɔːl ɡɒn//🇺🇸 //ɔl gɑn// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈempti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈempti/"]/ |
| Meaning | Everything has been used up or taken away. | Having nothing inside it. |
| Example | The cookies are all gone after the party. | The box was empty, so I decided to fill it with toys. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | all gone now, it's all gone, are we all gone | appear, be, feel, completely, entirely, quite, of, appear, be, feel, completely, entirely, quite, of |
| Antonyms | - | full, occupied, loaded |
| Common mistakes | Using 'all gone' incorrectly as a verb phrase, e.g., 'I am all gone.', Forgetting to use in contexts indicating emptiness., Confusing with 'gone all' which is not standard English. | Using 'emptied' instead of 'empty' for describing a current state., Saying 'an emptyness' instead of 'emptiness' when referring to the state of being empty. |
| Usage notes | Use 'all gone' casually to indicate something is finished. Not typically used in formal contexts. | Use 'empty' to describe physical spaces, containers, or feelings. It may not be appropriate for formal writing when referring to more abstract concepts like 'empty promises'. |
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Frequently asked questions: All gone vs Empty
What's the difference between All gone and Empty?
All gone: Everything has been used up or taken away. Empty: Having nothing inside it.
Which is more common: All gone and Empty?
Empty is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
All gone: The cookies are all gone after the party. Empty: The box was empty, so I decided to fill it with toys.
Can I use All gone and Empty interchangeably?
Not always. All gone and Empty are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.