vacant

adjective

va·​cant ˈvā-kənt 

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

Synonyms

• bare
• blank
• clean
• devoid
• empty
• stark
• toom [chiefly Scottish]
• vacuous
• void

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

According to job postings, the store will be located at 2719 Edmondson Road – a vacant storefront that once housed Bed Bath & Beyond. —Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 12 July 2024

It’s signed a lease to move its national headquarters to a vacant Xfinity call center nearby that went virtual during the pandemic. —Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024

Driving the news: Five contiguous and vacant parcels for development are being offered for development. —Jason Clayworth, Axios, 11 July 2024

The vacant space was originally slated to be a 40,000-square-foot Amazon Fresh grocery store, but those plans fell apart after the company pulled its permit application, according to the town. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2024

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

Phrases Containing vacant

• situations vacant
• vacant lot
• vacant possession

Kids Definition

vacant

adjective

va·​cant ˈvā-kənt 

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