diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4c1687534..811193b00 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5477,6 +5477,17 @@ function quux () {
 function quux () {
 
 }
+
+/**
+ * Create an array.
+ *
+ * @private
+ *
+ * @param {string[]} [elem] - Elements to make an array of.
+ * @param {boolean} [clone] - Optionally clone nodes.
+ * @returns {string[]} The array of nodes.
+ */
+function quux () {}
 ````
 
 
diff --git a/src/rules/checkValues.js b/src/rules/checkValues.js
index c401e142a..834f2f833 100644
--- a/src/rules/checkValues.js
+++ b/src/rules/checkValues.js
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
   });
 
   utils.forEachPreferredTag('author', (jsdocParameter, targetTagName) => {
-    const author = jsdocParameter.description;
-    if (!author.trim()) {
+    const author = jsdocParameter.description.trim();
+    if (!author) {
       report(
         `Missing JSDoc @${targetTagName}.`,
         null,
diff --git a/src/rules/emptyTags.js b/src/rules/emptyTags.js
index 5ca03d62f..59fee8f20 100644
--- a/src/rules/emptyTags.js
+++ b/src/rules/emptyTags.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
   });
   emptyTags.forEach((tag) => {
     const content = tag.name || tag.description || tag.type;
-    if (content) {
+    if (content.trim()) {
       const fix = () => {
         utils.setTag(tag);
       };
diff --git a/src/rules/noDefaults.js b/src/rules/noDefaults.js
index efaec2a9c..3ae125472 100644
--- a/src/rules/noDefaults.js
+++ b/src/rules/noDefaults.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
   });
   const defaultTags = utils.getPresentTags(['default', 'defaultvalue']);
   defaultTags.forEach((tag) => {
-    if (tag.description) {
+    if (tag.description.trim()) {
       utils.reportJSDoc(`Default values are not permitted on @${tag.tag}.`, tag, () => {
         utils.changeTag(tag, {
           description: '',
diff --git a/src/rules/requireHyphenBeforeParamDescription.js b/src/rules/requireHyphenBeforeParamDescription.js
index 722404652..eff16286f 100644
--- a/src/rules/requireHyphenBeforeParamDescription.js
+++ b/src/rules/requireHyphenBeforeParamDescription.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
 
   const checkHyphens = (jsdocTag, targetTagName, circumstance = mainCircumstance) => {
     const always = !circumstance || circumstance === 'always';
-    if (!jsdocTag.description) {
+    if (!jsdocTag.description.trim()) {
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/rules/requireParamDescription.js b/src/rules/requireParamDescription.js
index 7bd98043a..0cd154c96 100644
--- a/src/rules/requireParamDescription.js
+++ b/src/rules/requireParamDescription.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
   utils,
 }) => {
   utils.forEachPreferredTag('param', (jsdocParameter, targetTagName) => {
-    if (!jsdocParameter.description) {
+    if (!jsdocParameter.description.trim()) {
       report(
         `Missing JSDoc @${targetTagName} "${jsdocParameter.name}" description.`,
         null,
diff --git a/src/rules/requirePropertyDescription.js b/src/rules/requirePropertyDescription.js
index 6f7ae51a7..4935dd31d 100644
--- a/src/rules/requirePropertyDescription.js
+++ b/src/rules/requirePropertyDescription.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
   utils,
 }) => {
   utils.forEachPreferredTag('property', (jsdoc, targetTagName) => {
-    if (!jsdoc.description) {
+    if (!jsdoc.description.trim()) {
       report(
         `Missing JSDoc @${targetTagName} "${jsdoc.name}" description.`,
         null,
diff --git a/src/rules/requireReturnsDescription.js b/src/rules/requireReturnsDescription.js
index 151f37ed5..6e4116389 100644
--- a/src/rules/requireReturnsDescription.js
+++ b/src/rules/requireReturnsDescription.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
       return;
     }
 
-    if (!jsdocTag.description) {
+    if (!jsdocTag.description.trim()) {
       report(`Missing JSDoc @${targetTagName} description.`, null, jsdocTag);
     }
   });
diff --git a/src/rules/validTypes.js b/src/rules/validTypes.js
index 6fe8fe2c6..dc7c9e2d4 100644
--- a/src/rules/validTypes.js
+++ b/src/rules/validTypes.js
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export default iterateJsdoc(({
     };
 
     if (tag.tag === 'borrows') {
-      const thisNamepath = tag.description.replace(asExpression, '');
+      const thisNamepath = tag.description.replace(asExpression, '').trim();
 
       if (!asExpression.test(tag.description) || !thisNamepath) {
         report(`@borrows must have an "as" expression. Found "${tag.description}"`, null, tag);
diff --git a/test/rules/assertions/emptyTags.js b/test/rules/assertions/emptyTags.js
index 1524e2272..93111ea52 100644
--- a/test/rules/assertions/emptyTags.js
+++ b/test/rules/assertions/emptyTags.js
@@ -269,5 +269,19 @@ export default {
       }
       `,
     },
+    {
+      code: `
+      /**
+       * Create an array.
+       *
+       * @private
+       *
+       * @param {string[]} [elem] - Elements to make an array of.
+       * @param {boolean} [clone] - Optionally clone nodes.
+       * @returns {string[]} The array of nodes.
+       */
+      function quux () {}
+      `,
+    },
   ],
 };