What does devoid mean?
"Devoid" is a formal adjective meaning completely lacking or empty of the thing mentioned. It is almost always paired with the preposition "of": a report might be devoid of detail, a face devoid of expression, or a region devoid of rainfall. The word conveys total absence rather than mere shortage — to say a speech was devoid of humor is stronger than calling it unfunny. Because of its slightly literary flavor, "devoid" tends to appear in written prose, journalism, and careful description more often than in casual conversation, where speakers favor "empty" or "with no." It is typically used predicatively after verbs like "be," "seem," or "become," and rarely sits directly before a noun. Derived from the same root that gives us "void," it literally suggests something gone out of existence within its subject, which accounts for its forceful, absolute character.
adjectiveCompletely lacking or empty of something specified; entirely without a particular quality, feeling, or substance.
- Completely lacking in or empty of something specified; entirely without.
"The landscape was utterly devoid of vegetation."
"Her voice was completely devoid of emotion as she read the verdict aloud."
"The apartment was bare and devoid of any personal touches."
Devoid comes from Latin 'deviare' — to go off the road — so something devoid of life has literally 'departed' from it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of devoid
"Devoid" derives from Middle English, formed from the prefix "de-" plus "void," ultimately tracing back through Old French "desvoide" (past participle of "desvoider") to the Vulgar Latin verb "deviare," meaning to go apart or turn aside, from "via" (road). The underlying image is of something departing or being emptied away. It shares this Latin root with related words such as "void," "avoid," and "evacuate." The adjective has carried its modern sense of complete absence since at least the early 17th century.
How devoid is actually used
Formal to neutral register. "Devoid" is almost always used predicatively (e.g., "the room was devoid of light") rather than attributively before a noun, and it nearly always takes the preposition "of." It carries a somewhat literary or elevated tone compared with plainer alternatives like "lacking" or "empty."
Easily confused with devoid
"Devoid" describes a state of complete absence (devoid of hope), while "divested" means having been stripped or removed from possession, usually deliberately and by an agent.