Cool MateAll gone vs Empty vs Finished vs Gone
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
All gone
Top 2,000 (common)
Empty
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Finished
Top 1,000 (very common)
Gone
Top 1,000 (very common)
| All gone | Empty | Finished | Gone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɔːl ɡɒn//🇺🇸 //ɔl gɑn// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈempti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈempti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈfɪnɪʃt//🇺🇸 //ˈfɪnɪʃt// | 🇬🇧 //ɡɒn//🇺🇸 //ɡɔn// |
| Meaning | Everything has been used up or taken away. | Having nothing inside it. | Something that has been completed. | No longer present or available. |
| Example | The cookies are all gone after the party. | The box was empty, so I decided to fill it with toys. | I have finally finished my homework. | She looked around and realized her keys were gone. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very 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 | finished product, finished work, finished line, finished task, finished state | be gone, gone forever, gone missing, gone away, get gone |
| Antonyms | - | full, occupied, loaded | unfinished, incomplete | present, arrived, existing |
| 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. | Confusing 'finished' with 'finishing' or 'finish'., Using 'finished' with a noun when an alternative verb is needed., Incorrectly using 'finished' in the future tense. | Confusing with 'went' - 'gone' indicates a state, 'went' indicates an action., Using 'gone' where 'leaving' is more appropriate., Incorrectly using 'gone' in place of 'gone to' for destinations. |
| 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'. | Use 'finished' to describe something that is complete. Avoid using it in formal writing where 'completed' might be preferred. | Used to indicate absence or loss. Often used informally but acceptable in most contexts. Avoid in very formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: All gone vs Empty vs Finished vs Gone
What's the difference between All gone, Empty, Finished, and Gone?
All gone: Everything has been used up or taken away. Empty: Having nothing inside it. Finished: Something that has been completed. Gone: No longer present or available.
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. Finished: I have finally finished my homework. Gone: She looked around and realized her keys were gone.
Can I use All gone, Empty, Finished, and Gone interchangeably?
Not always. All gone, Empty, Finished, and Gone 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.