diff --git a/base/errorshow.jl b/base/errorshow.jl
index 6cd94cbed371a..9d65c6ace9ebd 100644
--- a/base/errorshow.jl
+++ b/base/errorshow.jl
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ function showerror(io::IO, ex::MethodError)
         return showerror_ambiguous(io, meth, f, arg_types)
     end
     arg_types_param::SimpleVector = arg_types.parameters
+    show_candidates = true
     print(io, "MethodError: ")
     ft = typeof(f)
     name = ft.name.mt.name
@@ -242,6 +243,9 @@ function showerror(io::IO, ex::MethodError)
     if f === Base.convert && length(arg_types_param) == 2 && !is_arg_types
         f_is_function = true
         show_convert_error(io, ex, arg_types_param)
+    elseif f === mapreduce_empty || f === reduce_empty
+        print(io, "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed; consider supplying `init` to the reducer")
+        show_candidates = false
     elseif isempty(methods(f)) && isa(f, DataType) && isabstracttype(f)
         print(io, "no constructors have been defined for ", f)
     elseif isempty(methods(f)) && !isa(f, Function) && !isa(f, Type)
@@ -314,7 +318,7 @@ function showerror(io::IO, ex::MethodError)
         end
     end
     Experimental.show_error_hints(io, ex, arg_types_param, kwargs)
-    try
+    show_candidates && try
         show_method_candidates(io, ex, kwargs)
     catch ex
         @error "Error showing method candidates, aborted" exception=ex,catch_backtrace()
diff --git a/base/reduce.jl b/base/reduce.jl
index aed7a546e144e..59e6aeb117cfa 100644
--- a/base/reduce.jl
+++ b/base/reduce.jl
@@ -299,6 +299,9 @@ pairwise_blocksize(::typeof(abs2), ::typeof(+)) = 4096
 
 # handling empty arrays
 _empty_reduce_error() = throw(ArgumentError("reducing over an empty collection is not allowed"))
+_empty_reduce_error(@nospecialize(f), @nospecialize(T::Type)) = throw(ArgumentError("""
+    reducing with $f over an empty collection of element type $T is not allowed.
+    You may be able to prevent this error by supplying an `init` value to the reducer."""))
 
 """
     Base.reduce_empty(op, T)
@@ -306,23 +309,32 @@ _empty_reduce_error() = throw(ArgumentError("reducing over an empty collection i
 The value to be returned when calling [`reduce`](@ref), [`foldl`](@ref) or [`foldr`](@ref)
 with reduction `op` over an empty array with element type of `T`.
 
-If not defined, this will throw an `ArgumentError`.
+This should only be defined in unambiguous cases; for example,
+
+```julia
+Base.reduce_empty(::typeof(+), ::Type{T}) where T = zero(T)
+```
+
+is justified (the sum of zero elements is zero), whereas
+`reduce_empty(::typeof(max), ::Type{Any})` is not (the maximum value of an empty collection
+is generally ambiguous, and especially so when the element type is unknown).
+
+As an alternative, consider supplying an `init` value to the reducer.
 """
-reduce_empty(op, ::Type{T}) where {T} = _empty_reduce_error()
-reduce_empty(::typeof(+), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error()
+reduce_empty(::typeof(+), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error(+, Union{})
 reduce_empty(::typeof(+), ::Type{T}) where {T} = zero(T)
 reduce_empty(::typeof(+), ::Type{Bool}) = zero(Int)
-reduce_empty(::typeof(*), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error()
+reduce_empty(::typeof(*), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error(*, Union{})
 reduce_empty(::typeof(*), ::Type{T}) where {T} = one(T)
 reduce_empty(::typeof(*), ::Type{<:AbstractChar}) = ""
 reduce_empty(::typeof(&), ::Type{Bool}) = true
 reduce_empty(::typeof(|), ::Type{Bool}) = false
 
-reduce_empty(::typeof(add_sum), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error()
+reduce_empty(::typeof(add_sum), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error(add_sum, Union{})
 reduce_empty(::typeof(add_sum), ::Type{T}) where {T} = reduce_empty(+, T)
 reduce_empty(::typeof(add_sum), ::Type{T}) where {T<:SmallSigned}  = zero(Int)
 reduce_empty(::typeof(add_sum), ::Type{T}) where {T<:SmallUnsigned} = zero(UInt)
-reduce_empty(::typeof(mul_prod), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error()
+reduce_empty(::typeof(mul_prod), ::Type{Union{}}) = _empty_reduce_error(mul_prod, Union{})
 reduce_empty(::typeof(mul_prod), ::Type{T}) where {T} = reduce_empty(*, T)
 reduce_empty(::typeof(mul_prod), ::Type{T}) where {T<:SmallSigned}  = one(Int)
 reduce_empty(::typeof(mul_prod), ::Type{T}) where {T<:SmallUnsigned} = one(UInt)
@@ -337,11 +349,8 @@ reduce_empty(op::FlipArgs, ::Type{T}) where {T} = reduce_empty(op.f, T)
 
 The value to be returned when calling [`mapreduce`](@ref), [`mapfoldl`](@ref`) or
 [`mapfoldr`](@ref) with map `f` and reduction `op` over an empty array with element type
-of `T`.
-
-If not defined, this will throw an `ArgumentError`.
+of `T`. See [`Base.reduce_empty`](@ref) for more information.
 """
-mapreduce_empty(f, op, T) = _empty_reduce_error()
 mapreduce_empty(::typeof(identity), op, T) = reduce_empty(op, T)
 mapreduce_empty(::typeof(abs), op, T)      = abs(reduce_empty(op, T))
 mapreduce_empty(::typeof(abs2), op, T)     = abs2(reduce_empty(op, T))
@@ -355,7 +364,10 @@ mapreduce_empty_iter(f, op, itr, ItrEltype) =
 
 @inline reduce_empty_iter(op, itr) = reduce_empty_iter(op, itr, IteratorEltype(itr))
 @inline reduce_empty_iter(op, itr, ::HasEltype) = reduce_empty(op, eltype(itr))
-reduce_empty_iter(op, itr, ::EltypeUnknown) = _empty_reduce_error()
+reduce_empty_iter(op, itr, ::EltypeUnknown) = throw(ArgumentError("""
+    reducing over an empty collection of unknown element type is not allowed.
+    You may be able to prevent this error by supplying an `init` value to the reducer."""))
+
 
 # handling of single-element iterators
 """
@@ -726,7 +738,7 @@ julia> maximum([1,2,3])
 3
 
 julia> maximum(())
-ERROR: ArgumentError: reducing over an empty collection is not allowed
+ERROR: MethodError: reducing over an empty collection is not allowed; consider supplying `init` to the reducer
 Stacktrace:
 [...]
 
@@ -758,7 +770,7 @@ julia> minimum([1,2,3])
 1
 
 julia> minimum([])
-ERROR: ArgumentError: reducing over an empty collection is not allowed
+ERROR: MethodError: reducing over an empty collection is not allowed; consider supplying `init` to the reducer
 Stacktrace:
 [...]
 
diff --git a/stdlib/SparseArrays/test/sparse.jl b/stdlib/SparseArrays/test/sparse.jl
index 221997a8f3384..464dca3db1576 100644
--- a/stdlib/SparseArrays/test/sparse.jl
+++ b/stdlib/SparseArrays/test/sparse.jl
@@ -786,6 +786,8 @@ end
     end
 
     @testset "empty cases" begin
+        errchecker(str) = occursin("reducing over an empty collection is not allowed", str) ||
+                          occursin("collection slices must be non-empty", str)
         @test sum(sparse(Int[])) === 0
         @test prod(sparse(Int[])) === 1
         @test_throws ArgumentError minimum(sparse(Int[]))
@@ -798,9 +800,9 @@ end
             @test isequal(f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=3), f(Matrix{Int}(I, 0, 1), dims=3))
         end
         for f in (minimum, maximum, findmin, findmax)
-            @test_throws ArgumentError f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=1)
+            @test_throws errchecker f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=1)
             @test isequal(f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=2), f(Matrix{Int}(I, 0, 1), dims=2))
-            @test_throws ArgumentError f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=(1, 2))
+            @test_throws errchecker f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=(1, 2))
             @test isequal(f(spzeros(0, 1), dims=3), f(Matrix{Int}(I, 0, 1), dims=3))
         end
     end
diff --git a/test/abstractarray.jl b/test/abstractarray.jl
index c3537aac4e887..32c367a7a50a8 100644
--- a/test/abstractarray.jl
+++ b/test/abstractarray.jl
@@ -1433,7 +1433,8 @@ using Base: typed_hvncat
             v1 == v2 == 1 && continue
             for v3 ∈ ((), (1,), ([1],), (1, [1]), ([1], 1), ([1], [1]))
                 @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat((v1, v2), true, v3...)
-                @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(((v1,), (v2,)), true, v3...)
+                @test_throws str->(occursin("`shape` argument must consist of positive integers", str) ||
+                                   occursin("reducing over an empty collection is not allowed", str)) hvncat(((v1,), (v2,)), true, v3...)
             end
         end
     end
diff --git a/test/missing.jl b/test/missing.jl
index e1042f76fc7a7..0be8cb8ec9be4 100644
--- a/test/missing.jl
+++ b/test/missing.jl
@@ -465,10 +465,10 @@ end
             @test_throws BoundsError x[3, 1]
             @test findfirst(==(2), x) === nothing
             @test isempty(findall(==(2), x))
-            @test_throws ArgumentError argmin(x)
-            @test_throws ArgumentError findmin(x)
-            @test_throws ArgumentError argmax(x)
-            @test_throws ArgumentError findmax(x)
+            @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" argmin(x)
+            @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" findmin(x)
+            @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" argmax(x)
+            @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" findmax(x)
         end
     end
 
@@ -525,8 +525,8 @@ end
         for n in 0:3
             itr = skipmissing(Vector{Union{Int,Missing}}(fill(missing, n)))
             @test sum(itr) == reduce(+, itr) == mapreduce(identity, +, itr) === 0
-            @test_throws ArgumentError reduce(x -> x/2, itr)
-            @test_throws ArgumentError mapreduce(x -> x/2, +, itr)
+            @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" reduce(x -> x/2, itr)
+            @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" mapreduce(x -> x/2, +, itr)
         end
 
         # issue #35504
diff --git a/test/reduce.jl b/test/reduce.jl
index 1e136af11b68a..78ac22c13f366 100644
--- a/test/reduce.jl
+++ b/test/reduce.jl
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ end
 @test reduce(max, [8 6 7 5 3 0 9]) == 9
 @test reduce(+, 1:5; init=1000) == (1000 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5)
 @test reduce(+, 1) == 1
-@test_throws ArgumentError reduce(*, ())
-@test_throws ArgumentError reduce(*, Union{}[])
+@test_throws "reducing with * over an empty collection of element type Union{} is not allowed" reduce(*, ())
+@test_throws "reducing with * over an empty collection of element type Union{} is not allowed" reduce(*, Union{}[])
 
 # mapreduce
 @test mapreduce(-, +, [-10 -9 -3]) == ((10 + 9) + 3)
@@ -87,8 +87,10 @@ end
 @test mapreduce(abs2, *, Float64[]) === 1.0
 @test mapreduce(abs2, max, Float64[]) === 0.0
 @test mapreduce(abs, max, Float64[]) === 0.0
-@test_throws ArgumentError mapreduce(abs2, &, Float64[])
-@test_throws ArgumentError mapreduce(abs2, |, Float64[])
+@test_throws ["reducing over an empty collection is not allowed",
+              "consider supplying `init`"] mapreduce(abs2, &, Float64[])
+@test_throws str -> !occursin("Closest candidates are", str) mapreduce(abs2, &, Float64[])
+@test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" mapreduce(abs2, |, Float64[])
 
 # mapreduce() type stability
 @test typeof(mapreduce(*, +, Int8[10])) ===
@@ -138,8 +140,9 @@ fz = float(z)
 @test sum(z) === 136
 @test sum(fz) === 136.0
 
-@test_throws ArgumentError sum(Union{}[])
-@test_throws ArgumentError sum(sin, Int[])
+@test_throws "reducing with add_sum over an empty collection of element type Union{} is not allowed" sum(Union{}[])
+@test_throws ["reducing over an empty collection is not allowed",
+              "consider supplying `init`"] sum(sin, Int[])
 @test sum(sin, 3) == sin(3.0)
 @test sum(sin, [3]) == sin(3.0)
 a = sum(sin, z)
@@ -170,7 +173,7 @@ for f in (sum2, sum5, sum6, sum9, sum10)
 end
 for f in (sum3, sum4, sum7, sum8)
     @test sum(z) == f(z)
-    @test_throws ArgumentError f(Int[])
+    @test_throws "reducing over an empty" f(Int[])
     @test sum(Int[7]) == f(Int[7]) == 7
 end
 @test typeof(sum(Int8[])) == typeof(sum(Int8[1])) == typeof(sum(Int8[1 7]))
@@ -239,8 +242,8 @@ prod2(itr) = invoke(prod, Tuple{Any}, itr)
 
 # maximum & minimum & extrema
 
-@test_throws ArgumentError maximum(Int[])
-@test_throws ArgumentError minimum(Int[])
+@test_throws "reducing over an empty" maximum(Int[])
+@test_throws "reducing over an empty" minimum(Int[])
 
 @test maximum(Int[]; init=-1) == -1
 @test minimum(Int[]; init=-1) == -1
@@ -594,14 +597,22 @@ end
 # issue #18695
 test18695(r) = sum( t^2 for t in r )
 @test @inferred(test18695([1.0,2.0,3.0,4.0])) == 30.0
-@test_throws ArgumentError test18695(Any[])
+@test_throws str -> ( occursin("reducing over an empty", str) &&
+                      occursin("consider supplying `init`", str) &&
+                     !occursin("or defining", str)) test18695(Any[])
+
+# For Core.IntrinsicFunction
+@test_throws str -> ( occursin("reducing over an empty", str) &&
+                      occursin("consider supplying `init`", str) &&
+                     !occursin("or defining", str)) reduce(Base.xor_int, Int[])
 
 # issue #21107
 @test foldr(-,2:2) == 2
 
 # test neutral element not picked incorrectly for &, |
 @test @inferred(foldl(&, Int[1])) === 1
-@test_throws ArgumentError foldl(&, Int[])
+@test_throws ["reducing over an empty",
+              "consider supplying `init`"] foldl(&, Int[])
 
 # prod on Chars
 @test prod(Char[]) == ""
diff --git a/test/reducedim.jl b/test/reducedim.jl
index 93287efc5eb1c..f009a2384ca51 100644
--- a/test/reducedim.jl
+++ b/test/reducedim.jl
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ end
 
 # Combining dims and init
 A = Array{Int}(undef, 0, 3)
-@test_throws ArgumentError maximum(A; dims=1)
+@test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" maximum(A; dims=1)
 @test maximum(A; dims=1, init=-1) == reshape([-1,-1,-1], 1, 3)
 
 # Test reduction along first dimension; this is special-cased for
@@ -169,8 +169,9 @@ end
     A = Matrix{Int}(undef, 0,1)
     @test sum(A) === 0
     @test prod(A) === 1
-    @test_throws ArgumentError minimum(A)
-    @test_throws ArgumentError maximum(A)
+    @test_throws ["reducing over an empty",
+                  "consider supplying `init`"] minimum(A)
+    @test_throws "consider supplying `init`" maximum(A)
 
     @test isequal(sum(A, dims=1), zeros(Int, 1, 1))
     @test isequal(sum(A, dims=2), zeros(Int, 0, 1))
@@ -182,9 +183,9 @@ end
     @test isequal(prod(A, dims=3), fill(1, 0, 1))
 
     for f in (minimum, maximum)
-        @test_throws ArgumentError f(A, dims=1)
+        @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" f(A, dims=1)
         @test isequal(f(A, dims=2), zeros(Int, 0, 1))
-        @test_throws ArgumentError f(A, dims=(1, 2))
+        @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" f(A, dims=(1, 2))
         @test isequal(f(A, dims=3), zeros(Int, 0, 1))
     end
     for f in (findmin, findmax)
diff --git a/test/spawn.jl b/test/spawn.jl
index 9ec7c6842bedb..aa2281f667de8 100644
--- a/test/spawn.jl
+++ b/test/spawn.jl
@@ -579,8 +579,8 @@ end
 @test_throws ArgumentError run(Base.AndCmds(`$truecmd`, ``))
 
 # tests for reducing over collection of Cmd
-@test_throws ArgumentError reduce(&, Base.AbstractCmd[])
-@test_throws ArgumentError reduce(&, Base.Cmd[])
+@test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" reduce(&, Base.AbstractCmd[])
+@test_throws "reducing over an empty collection is not allowed" reduce(&, Base.Cmd[])
 @test reduce(&, [`$echocmd abc`, `$echocmd def`, `$echocmd hij`]) == `$echocmd abc` & `$echocmd def` & `$echocmd hij`
 
 # readlines(::Cmd), accidentally broken in #20203
diff --git a/test/tuple.jl b/test/tuple.jl
index 9b44e421184d3..bdfaae6bf1032 100644
--- a/test/tuple.jl
+++ b/test/tuple.jl
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ end
     @test mapfoldl(abs, =>, (-1,-2,-3,-4), init=-10) == ((((-10=>1)=>2)=>3)=>4)
     @test mapfoldl(abs, =>, (), init=-10) == -10
     @test mapfoldl(abs, Pair{Any,Any}, (-30:-1...,)) == mapfoldl(abs, Pair{Any,Any}, [-30:-1...,])
-    @test_throws ArgumentError mapfoldl(abs, =>, ())
+    @test_throws "reducing over an empty collection" mapfoldl(abs, =>, ())
 end
 
 @testset "filter" begin