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.
Jon shared insight into their lives as empty nesters in a 2023 interview with The New York Times. Caroline Blair, People.com, 11 May 2025 And the only age group where the divorce rate didn’t decline is 50-plus, the empty nesters who populate this show. Belinda Luscombe, Time, 9 May 2025 Michelle Obama is an empty nester now, which isn’t always an easy space to navigate. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 6 May 2025 Reorganize them every year or two, when moving, and during events like having kids or becoming empty nesters. Kelsey Mulvey, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Empty nester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empty%20nester. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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