vacate

verb

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va·cate | \ ˈvā-ˌkāt

, vā-ˈkāt

vacated; vacating

Definition of vacate

transitive verb

1a : to deprive of an incumbent or occupant

b : to give up the incumbency or occupancy of

2 : to make legally void : annul

intransitive verb

: to vacate an office, post, or tenancy

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about vacate

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Examples of vacate in a Sentence

She refused to vacate her post even under increased pressure. The election will fill the congressional seat vacated by the retiring senator. The police told everyone to vacate the premises. Students must vacate their rooms at the end of the semester. The court vacated the conviction.

Recent Examples on the Web To vacate sulfurous coal fumes, chimneys sprouted all over London, prompting homeowners to build more spacious layouts and second and third stories. — Roger Lowenstein, WSJ, "‘The Domestic Revolution’ Review: Setting the Future on Fire," 7 Oct. 2020 These mines, many of them were given one day's notice to vacate, so the people that have been working there for 25 or 30 years were on the last train, effectively. — Tara Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, "Let These Photos Take You to Alaska’s Abandoned Mining Towns," 1 Oct. 2020 Biden was criticized this week by the likes of former Trump national security adviser H.R. McMaster for suggesting the military could intervene during a transition if the president didn't vacate the White House. — Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner, "Biden: Trump won't have the support to stay in the White House if he loses in November," 26 Sep. 2020 Bears often vacate areas when noticing humans approaching, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, but in the event the bear becomes aware of a person’s presence, the following safety measures are recommended. — Sunset Magazine, "Grizzly Kills Hunter in Alaska National Park’s Backcountry," 24 Sep. 2020 But the full court voted to vacate that ruling and rehear the matter. — Charlie Savage, New York Times, "Court Denies Flynn’s Bid to End Case and Renews Fight Over McGahn Subpoena," 31 Aug. 2020 South Koreans were then ordered to vacate the facility that was supposed to serve as a place where people from the two Koreas could meet. — Jeong-ho Lee, Bloomberg.com, "Kim Jong Un Makes Rare Apology Over Killing of South Korean," 25 Sep. 2020 Fortas did not vacate his seat as associate justice while his nomination to replace Warren was pending. — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, "Examining Trump's claim that Supreme Court vacancies occurred 29 times during election year or before inauguration," 23 Sep. 2020 At Indiana University in Bloomington, administrators quarantined three-fourths of Greek houses on campus and suggested students vacate the remaining houses and find new places to live. — Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, "Positive for COVID but partying anyway? Data shows college campuses are coronavirus hotspots," 14 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vacate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.