running on empty
Fumes, not fuel
Running on empty means continuing to function despite exhaustion or depleted resources.
The image comes from a vehicle's fuel gauge—operating when the tank shows nothing left.
Someone running on empty has pushed past normal limits: I've been running on empty all week.
The phrase often implies unsustainable effort that will eventually fail.
- exhaustedUtterly depleted of energy
- bone tiredExtremely fatigued state
- fumesAirborne chemical irritants
- depletedSeverely reduced or emptied
- tiredLacking energy, needing rest
drained · gas light · gaslight · tank · gas tank · low fuel · reserve · burnout · weary · spent · energy crisis · coasting · desperate · hunger · fatigue · vapor · last legs · stretched thin
- fatigueexhaustion, tiredness, weariness, lethargy, chronic fatigue
- car talkpedal to the metal, hit the gas, step on it, floor it, burn rubber
- energy idiomsfull of beans, second wind, burn out, fired up, pumped up
- exhaustedtired, weary, exhausted, drained, fatigued
- exhaustion phrasesdead tired, worn out, wiped out, burned out, run down
- travel idiomshit the road, in the same boat, miss the boat, end of the road, crossroads
running on emptyfull of energy
energized · firing on all cylinders · well-rested · fully charged · raring to go
running on emptytopped off
Filled to capacity
loaded · brimming · overflowing · abundant · in the black
running on emptywell-rested
Having slept enough
refreshed · recharged · restored · rejuvenated · fresh as a daisy
runner, runners, runny, running, empty, empties, emptied, emptier, emptiest