empty vow

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "empty vow" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a promise or commitment that lacks sincerity or substance. Example: "His promise to change was nothing more than an empty vow, as he continued his old habits."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We must show humanity's worst criminals that the world is watching, that justice will prevail, and that "never again" is not an empty vow.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It was a hollow vow.

The New York Times - Books

"We are not going home empty-handed," vowed Walsh.

Independent

Rick Tyler, a former top adviser to Mr. Gingrich who now helps run a super PAC on his behalf, called Mr. Santorum "an empty vest" and vowed to continue advertising on Mr. Gingrich's behalf in the Southern states.

The New York Times

In his campaign, he criticized the advances Jammeh boasted of in health and education as empty measures, and vowed to reform the judiciary and give more freedom to the press and civil-society groups.

The New Yorker

Mr. Schroder, having promised to be the chancellor who made German unity more concrete, appears to have realized that his vow looks empty for now.

The New York Times

She's left behind, with the promise that she will soon join them, a vow as empty as her belly, since she has to scramble for money to feed herself.

The New York Times

On a recent evening, the finest compliment, aside from the empty plates and the vows to return, came from a couple who live just down the block.

The New Yorker

Cortines vowed to empty the central office, if needed, to provide help to campuses on opening day, Pappas said.

Los Angeles Times

"We said our vows in an empty water tower in Harlem," Jamie says.

The New Yorker

With an eye on increasing housing affordability, the city of Vancouver has also vowed to launch a tax on empty homes by 2017 and is currently exploring measures to curb short-term rentals through sites such as Airbnb.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "empty vow" when you want to express that a promise or commitment lacks sincerity, substance, or is unlikely to be fulfilled. It's particularly effective in contexts where someone is perceived as making promises without genuine intention.

Common error

Avoid using "empty vow" to simply describe a vow that hasn't been completed. "Empty vow" suggests a lack of sincerity from the start, while "unfulfilled vow" indicates a failure to follow through, regardless of initial intent.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "empty vow" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "empty" modifies the noun "vow". It describes a specific type of vow characterized by a lack of substance or sincerity. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is appropriate for use.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "empty vow" effectively conveys a promise or commitment that lacks sincerity and substance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and usable in English. While not overly frequent, it appears consistently in news and media contexts to express skepticism or disappointment regarding unfulfilled or insincere promises. Alternatives such as "hollow promise" or "meaningless pledge" offer similar nuances. The key is to use "empty vow" when emphasizing the lack of genuine intent from the outset, rather than simply describing a promise that was later broken.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hollow promise

Replaces "vow" with "promise", emphasizing the insincerity.

meaningless pledge

Substitutes "vow" with "pledge" and "empty" with "meaningless", highlighting the lack of significance.

insincere commitment

Replaces the entire phrase with a direct description of the nature of the vow.

false promise

Uses "false" instead of "empty" to indicate deceit.

broken promise

Indicates that the vow was made and later broken.

unfulfilled pledge

Highlights the lack of completion or delivery of the vow.

worthless assurance

Replaces "vow" with "assurance", denoting a lack of value.

futile oath

Uses "futile" to emphasize the ineffectiveness or pointlessness of the vow.

shallow promise

Implies a lack of depth or genuine intent behind the vow.

hollow commitment

Uses "hollow" to describe the lack of substance in the commitment.

FAQs

What does "empty vow" mean?

An "empty vow" is a promise or commitment that lacks sincerity, substance, or is unlikely to be fulfilled. It suggests the person making the vow doesn't genuinely intend to keep it.

How can I use "empty vow" in a sentence?

You might say: "His promise to support the community was just an "empty vow", as he never followed through with any actions." The phrase is usually used to express skepticism or disappointment.

What are some alternatives to "empty vow"?

You can use alternatives like "hollow promise", "meaningless pledge", or "insincere commitment" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it better to say "empty vow" or "broken vow"?

The choice depends on the context. "Empty vow" suggests the lack of sincerity from the beginning. "Broken vow" indicates that the vow was initially made with good intentions but later not fulfilled.