vacant

adjective

va·​cant ˈvā-kənt How to pronounce vacant (audio)
1
: not occupied by an incumbent, possessor, or officer
a vacant office
vacant thrones
2
: being without content or occupant
a vacant seat on a bus
a vacant room
3
: free from activity or work : disengaged
vacant hours
4
: devoid of thought, reflection, or expression
a vacant smile
5
: not lived in
vacant houses
6
a
: not put to use
vacant land
b
: having no heir or claimant : abandoned
a vacant estate
vacantly adverb
vacantness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for vacant

empty, vacant, blank, void, vacuous mean lacking contents which could or should be present.

empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

Examples of vacant in a Sentence

These lockers are all vacant. The seat was left vacant when the secretary resigned. He had a vacant expression on his face.
Recent Examples on the Web Cohen is less certain about the vacant 8,000-square-foot storefront on the ground floor. Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 In Washington, about 19% of downtown commercial real estate is currently vacant. Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Mar. 2024 Union leaders have long suspected the city was purposefully leaving positions vacant with the hope of diverting funds elsewhere. Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 The storefront being converted had been vacant for years. Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Many of the vacant positions are in areas the district promised to grow: art, music, physical education, early childhood and support staff. Rory Linnane, Journal Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2024 Some of the positions being eliminated are already vacant. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 The Department of Corrections will have to submit monthly reports on its vacant positions and how long those positions have been open. Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 The Hudson Yards space had been vacant since 2020 after its previous tenant, Neiman Marcus, declared bankruptcy. Shimon Shkury, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vacant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vacaunt, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin vacant-, vacans, present participle of vacāre "to be empty or unoccupied, have space, be free,"; perhaps akin to Hittite wakkāari "lacks," wakšyi- "be lacking"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vacant was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vacant

Cite this Entry

“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

vacant

adjective
va·​cant ˈvā-kənt How to pronounce vacant (audio)
1
: not filled, used, or lived in
a vacant house
2
: free from duties or care
a few vacant hours
3
: showing lack of thought
a vacant stare
vacantly adverb

Legal Definition

vacant

adjective
va·​cant
1
: not filled or occupied
2
a
: not put to use
vacant land
b
: having no heir or claimant
a vacant estate

More from Merriam-Webster on vacant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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