むなしさ

noun

emptiness; futility; a hollow feeling

emotion abstract

1. emptiness; futility; a hollow feeling

The feeling of emptiness, meaninglessness, or futility. The nominalized form of むなしい (empty, vain).

むなしさを感(かん)じる。

I feel a sense of emptiness.

努力(どりょく)が報(むく)われない時(とき)のむなしさは大(おお)きい。

The feeling of futility when your efforts aren't rewarded is overwhelming.

長年(ながねん)打(う)ち込(こ)んできた仕事(しごと)を辞(や)めた後(あと)、言(い)いようのないむなしさに襲(おそ)われた。

After quitting the job I had devoted myself to for years, I was overcome by an indescribable emptiness.

The noun form of the adjective むなしい (empty, futile, vain), formed with the suffix さ. Can also be written as 虚(むな)しさ or 空(むな)しさ in kanji, though hiragana is common. Expresses a deep emotional emptiness or the realization that something was meaningless.

Common collocations

むなしさを感(かん)じる: to feel emptiness
むなしさに襲(おそ)われる: to be overcome by emptiness
むなしさが残(のこ)る: a feeling of emptiness remains
むなしさを覚(おぼ)える: to experience a feeling of futility
言(い)いようのないむなしさ: an indescribable emptiness

Similar words

空虚(くうきょ): void, emptiness — more literary and philosophical
寂(さび)しさ: loneliness — feeling of being alone, not necessarily futile
無力感(むりょくかん): sense of powerlessness — focused on inability to act
虚無感(きょむかん): sense of nihilism — deeper philosophical emptiness

Related Words

Compare: 空虚(くうきょ) (void, emptiness)

Compare: 寂(さび)しさ (loneliness)

Compare: 無力感(むりょくかん) (sense of powerlessness)

Compare: 虚無感(きょむかん) (sense of nihilism)

general

Added 2026.3.29 3:11 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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