empty promise

collocation in English

meaningsofemptyandpromise

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withpromise.
empty
adjective
uk
/ˈemp.ti/us
/ˈemp.ti/
not containing any things ...
See more atempty
promise
noun
uk
/ˈprɒm.ɪs/us
/ˈprɑː.mɪs/
the act of saying that you will certainly ...
See more atpromise

(Definition ofemptyandpromisefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofempty promise

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
At the end of the day, such a court judgment basically will remain on paper as anemptypromise.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Or is it because this title, like all the other titles of our bureaucratic communications, is just anemptypromisehiding behind piles of words?
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
But we must say to them that to promise political freedom in due time may be just anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We can only conclude that it was a baseless andemptypromiseto fool the electorate.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is now seen to have been anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is anotheremptypromise—another promise unfulfilled and another group of people who feel betrayed as a consequence.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The facts reveal, however, that those words are just anemptypromise.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
This seems to have been anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is anemptypromise, because the increased pressure to spend would mean an increase in council tax.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Anyone who is genuinely concerned about human rights must ensure that people have a right to security that is more than just anemptypromise.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
This was not anemptypromiseand our election success showed the country's support for the totality of the manifesto.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Why try to mislead postmasters with theemptypromiseof new clause 1, which will not stop the collapse of the sub-post office network?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Is it surprising that we regard this pledge as anemptypromisesignifying nothing?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That was not anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That is not anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Is it just anotheremptypromise?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is just anotheremptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Is this more than anemptypromise?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
That was but anemptypromise.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofempty
Go to the definition ofpromise
See other collocations withpromise