diff --git a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
index 54d745f6cf..bc4ed646ef 100644
--- a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
@@ -6412,7 +6412,7 @@ wxAccStatus wxDataViewCtrlAccessible::GetHelpText(int childId, wxString* helpTex
         }
         else
         {
-            *helpText = wxEmptyString;
+            helpText->clear();
         }
     }
     return wxACC_OK;
diff --git a/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp b/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp
index 2080009ac1..84ceb8b97d 100644
--- a/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/dirctrlg.cpp
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ void wxGenericDirCtrl::Init()
 {
     m_showHidden = false;
     m_currentFilter = 0;
-    m_currentFilterStr = wxEmptyString; // Default: any file
+    m_currentFilterStr.clear(); // Default: any file
     m_treeCtrl = NULL;
     m_filterListCtrl = NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/generic/filectrlg.cpp b/src/generic/filectrlg.cpp
index 49578fa811..711397fe2d 100644
--- a/src/generic/filectrlg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/filectrlg.cpp
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ void wxFileListCtrl::GoToParentDir()
         if (!m_dirName.empty())
         {
             if (m_dirName.Last() == wxT('.'))
-                m_dirName = wxEmptyString;
+                m_dirName.clear();
         }
 #elif defined(__UNIX__)
         if (m_dirName.empty())
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ bool wxGenericFileCtrl::Create( wxWindow *parent,
     if ( ( len > 1 ) && ( wxEndsWithPathSeparator( m_dir ) ) )
         m_dir.Remove( len - 1, 1 );
 
-    m_filterExtension = wxEmptyString;
+    m_filterExtension.clear();
 
     // layout
 
diff --git a/src/generic/filedlgg.cpp b/src/generic/filedlgg.cpp
index db1557bace..48c746a3a9 100644
--- a/src/generic/filedlgg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/filedlgg.cpp
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ bool wxGenericFileDialog::Create( wxWindow *parent,
     if ((len > 1) && (wxEndsWithPathSeparator(m_dir)))
         m_dir.Remove( len-1, 1 );
 
-    m_filterExtension = wxEmptyString;
+    m_filterExtension.clear();
 
     // layout
 
diff --git a/src/generic/grid.cpp b/src/generic/grid.cpp
index 083d1e0d34..5a8831f792 100644
--- a/src/generic/grid.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/grid.cpp
@@ -1311,7 +1311,7 @@ void wxGridStringTable::Clear()
         {
             for ( col = 0; col < numCols; col++ )
             {
-                m_data[row][col] = wxEmptyString;
+                m_data[row][col].clear();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/generic/helpext.cpp b/src/generic/helpext.cpp
index f4e769eb27..a8070ef340 100644
--- a/src/generic/helpext.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/helpext.cpp
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ bool wxExtHelpController::KeywordSearch(const wxString& k,
                 // choices[idx] = (**i).doc.Contains((**i).doc.Before(WXEXTHELP_COMMENTCHAR));
                 //if (choices[idx].empty()) // didn't contain the ';'
                 //   choices[idx] = (**i).doc;
-                choices[idx] = wxEmptyString;
+                choices[idx].clear();
                 for (int j=0; ; j++)
                 {
                     wxChar targetChar = entry->doc.c_str()[j];
diff --git a/src/generic/odcombo.cpp b/src/generic/odcombo.cpp
index d77833bb16..4f144bb751 100644
--- a/src/generic/odcombo.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/odcombo.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void wxVListBoxComboPopup::Init()
     m_value = -1;
     m_itemHover = -1;
     m_clientDataItemsType = wxClientData_None;
-    m_partialCompletionString = wxEmptyString;
+    m_partialCompletionString.clear();
 }
 
 bool wxVListBoxComboPopup::Create(wxWindow* parent)
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ void wxVListBoxComboPopup::DismissWithEvent()
     if ( selection != wxNOT_FOUND )
         m_stringValue = m_strings[selection];
     else
-        m_stringValue = wxEmptyString;
+        m_stringValue.clear();
 
     if ( m_stringValue != m_combo->GetValue() )
         m_combo->SetValueByUser(m_stringValue);
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ bool wxVListBoxComboPopup::HandleKey( int keycode, bool saturate, wxChar keychar
 // stop partial completion
 void wxVListBoxComboPopup::StopPartialCompletion()
 {
-    m_partialCompletionString = wxEmptyString;
+    m_partialCompletionString.clear();
 #if wxUSE_TIMER
     m_partialCompletionTimer.Stop();
 #endif // wxUSE_TIMER
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ void wxVListBoxComboPopup::SetSelection( int item )
     if ( item >= 0 )
         m_stringValue = m_strings[item];
     else
-        m_stringValue = wxEmptyString;
+        m_stringValue.clear();
 
     if ( IsCreated() )
         wxVListBox::SetSelection(item);
diff --git a/src/html/m_tables.cpp b/src/html/m_tables.cpp
index 779e811200..d464b4e4ac 100644
--- a/src/html/m_tables.cpp
+++ b/src/html/m_tables.cpp
@@ -714,7 +714,8 @@ TAG_HANDLER_BEGIN(TABLE, "TABLE,TR,TD,TH")
     {
         m_Table = NULL;
         m_enclosingContainer = NULL;
-        m_tAlign = m_rAlign = wxEmptyString;
+        m_tAlign.clear();
+        m_rAlign.clear();
     }
 
 
diff --git a/src/osx/carbon/fontdlg.cpp b/src/osx/carbon/fontdlg.cpp
index 0ed0a2651d..a6dadb57ef 100644
--- a/src/osx/carbon/fontdlg.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/carbon/fontdlg.cpp
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ void wxFontDialog::ChangeFont()
 
     wxFontFamily family = FontFamilyStringToInt(facename);
     if (family != wxFONTFAMILY_DEFAULT)
-        facename = wxEmptyString;
+        facename.clear();
 
     m_dialogFont = wxFontInfo(size)
                     .Family(family).FaceName(facename)
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm
index abaf02276d..9428747a3c 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm
@@ -3453,7 +3453,7 @@ void wxDataViewColumn::SetBitmap(const wxBitmap& bitmap)
 {
     // bitmaps and titles cannot exist at the same time - if the bitmap is set
     // the title is removed:
-    m_title = wxEmptyString;
+    m_title.clear();
     wxDataViewColumnBase::SetBitmap(bitmap);
     [[m_NativeDataPtr->GetNativeColumnPtr() headerCell] setImage:bitmap.GetNSImage()];
 }
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/dirdlg.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/dirdlg.mm
index c6a4dc9139..f9ae000edb 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/dirdlg.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/dirdlg.mm
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ int wxDirDialog::ShowModal()
 
     wxCFStringRef dir( m_path );
 
-    m_path = wxEmptyString;
+    m_path.clear();
 
     int returnCode = -1;
 
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/filedlg.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/filedlg.mm
index 634df40c0c..d6635e6137 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/filedlg.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/filedlg.mm
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ int wxFileDialog::ShowModal()
     wxCFStringRef dir( m_dir );
     wxCFStringRef file( m_fileName );
 
-    m_path = wxEmptyString;
+    m_path.clear();
     m_fileNames.Clear();
     m_paths.Clear();
 
diff --git a/src/osx/core/mimetype.cpp b/src/osx/core/mimetype.cpp
index dce5997464..afc4562694 100644
--- a/src/osx/core/mimetype.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/core/mimetype.cpp
@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ bool wxMimeTypesManagerImpl::GetMimeType(const wxString& uti, wxString *mimeType
 
     if( itr == m_utiMap.end() || itr->second.mimeTypes.GetCount() < 1 )
     {
-        *mimeType = wxEmptyString;
+        mimeType->clear();
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -582,7 +582,7 @@ bool wxMimeTypesManagerImpl::GetDescription(const wxString& uti, wxString *desc)
 
     if( itr == m_utiMap.end() || itr->second.description.empty() )
     {
-        *desc = wxEmptyString;
+        desc->clear();
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/richtext/richtextbuffer.cpp b/src/richtext/richtextbuffer.cpp
index 70d37ef6d5..0b6c1e2843 100644
--- a/src/richtext/richtextbuffer.cpp
+++ b/src/richtext/richtextbuffer.cpp
@@ -2815,7 +2815,7 @@ wxRichTextRange wxRichTextParagraphLayoutBox::AddParagraphs(const wxString& text
                 AppendChild(para);
 
                 lastPara = para;
-                line = wxEmptyString;
+                line.clear();
             }
         }
         else
@@ -4757,7 +4757,7 @@ bool wxRichTextParagraphLayoutBox::FindNextParagraphNumber(wxRichTextParagraph*
                         text = text.Mid(0, text.Length() - pos - 1);
                     }
                     else
-                        text = wxEmptyString;
+                        text.clear();
                     if (!text.IsEmpty())
                         text += wxT(".");
                     text += wxString::Format(wxT("%d"), nextNumber);
@@ -6297,7 +6297,7 @@ wxRichTextObject* wxRichTextParagraph::FindObjectAtPosition(long position)
 /// The resulting string may be shorter than the range given.
 bool wxRichTextParagraph::GetContiguousPlainText(wxString& text, const wxRichTextRange& range, bool fromStart)
 {
-    text = wxEmptyString;
+    text.clear();
 
     if (fromStart)
     {
@@ -13623,7 +13623,7 @@ void wxTextBoxAttr::Reset()
     m_whitespaceMode = wxTEXT_BOX_ATTR_WHITESPACE_NONE;
     m_collapseMode = wxTEXT_BOX_ATTR_COLLAPSE_NONE;
     m_verticalAlignment = wxTEXT_BOX_ATTR_VERTICAL_ALIGNMENT_NONE;
-    m_boxStyleName = wxEmptyString;
+    m_boxStyleName.clear();
 
     m_margins.Reset();
     m_padding.Reset();
diff --git a/src/richtext/richtextprint.cpp b/src/richtext/richtextprint.cpp
index f89791b301..601f9d6862 100644
--- a/src/richtext/richtextprint.cpp
+++ b/src/richtext/richtextprint.cpp
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ void wxRichTextHeaderFooterData::Clear()
 {
     int i;
     for (i = 0; i < 12; i++)
-        m_text[i] = wxEmptyString;
+        m_text[i].clear();
 }
 
 #endif // wxUSE_RICHTEXT & wxUSE_PRINTING_ARCHITECTURE
diff --git a/src/richtext/richtextsymboldlg.cpp b/src/richtext/richtextsymboldlg.cpp
index 4fd387243f..57512df37a 100644
--- a/src/richtext/richtextsymboldlg.cpp
+++ b/src/richtext/richtextsymboldlg.cpp
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ void wxSymbolPickerDialog::ShowAtSubset()
 void wxSymbolPickerDialog::OnFontCtrlSelected( wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event) )
 {
     if (m_fontCtrl->GetSelection() == 0)
-        m_fontName = wxEmptyString;
+        m_fontName.clear();
     else
         m_fontName = m_fontCtrl->GetStringSelection();
 
@@ -619,13 +619,9 @@ void wxSymbolPickerDialog::OnSymbolSelected( wxCommandEvent& event )
         return;
 
     int sel = event.GetSelection();
-    if (sel == wxNOT_FOUND)
-        m_symbol = wxEmptyString;
-    else
-    {
-        m_symbol = wxEmptyString;
+    m_symbol.clear();
+    if (sel != wxNOT_FOUND)
         m_symbol << (wxChar) sel;
-    }
 
 #if defined(__UNICODE__)
     if (sel != -1 && m_fromUnicode)
diff --git a/src/richtext/richtextxml.cpp b/src/richtext/richtextxml.cpp
index d470d693e6..1e49dfa71a 100644
--- a/src/richtext/richtextxml.cpp
+++ b/src/richtext/richtextxml.cpp
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ void wxRichTextXMLHelper::Clear()
     m_convMem = NULL;
     m_deleteConvFile = false;
 #endif
-    m_fileEncoding = wxEmptyString;
+    m_fileEncoding.clear();
 }
 
 void wxRichTextXMLHelper::SetupForSaving(const wxString& enc)
diff --git a/src/stc/ScintillaWX.cpp b/src/stc/ScintillaWX.cpp
index b7e33cda26..3a9f543220 100644
--- a/src/stc/ScintillaWX.cpp
+++ b/src/stc/ScintillaWX.cpp
@@ -548,8 +548,8 @@ void ScintillaWX::Paste() {
 
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
         // free up the old character buffer in case the text is real big
-        data.SetText(wxEmptyString);
-        text = wxEmptyString;
+        text.clear();
+        data.SetText(text);
 #endif
         const size_t len = buf.length();
         SelectionPosition selStart = sel.IsRectangular() ?