1
2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vacant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vacant are blank, empty, vacuous, and void. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

When can blank be used instead of vacant?

While in some cases nearly identical to vacant, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When would empty be a good substitute for vacant?

In some situations, the words empty and vacant are roughly equivalent. However, empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When is vacuous a more appropriate choice than vacant?

While the synonyms vacuous and vacant are close in meaning, vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

When is it sensible to use void instead of vacant?

The words void and vacant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vacant Other police department cuts include a $3 million reduction in overtime and the elimination of some vacant detective positions and Patrol Operations Division positions that will be absorbed by other divisions. Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025 With 20 days passed and no quorum on Monday, the clerk of court will now decide who fills a vacant Cabarrus County commission seat. Nora O’Neill, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2025 Too, the role of assistant secretary at the ECA is vacant, leaving no one to coordinate Biennale affairs. News Desk, Artforum, 6 May 2025 In the 13th century, the papacy was vacant for almost three years before the election of Gregory X, who tightened up conclave rules. John Bacon, USA Today, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for vacant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacant
Adjective
  • One night at dinner, my daughter whispered to me that the empty bread basket was a bummer.
    Lauren Mechling, Vogue, 19 May 2025
  • Panthers come up empty on early power plays Minimal action at the net through the first 13 minutes, although Florida did have two power plays — both of which Toronto killed off.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • The cause of the blaze has not been determined, but the company has acknowledged that it may have been sparked by a faulty dormant power line operated by Edison.
    Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025
  • Perhaps the Flyers believe that a certain segment of the fan base that’s been dormant through what has been a mostly incompetent decade will awaken with the return of one of the organization’s most popular all-time players now running the day-to-day operations at ice level.
    Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • But with a blank canvas on which to build a new version of Dedeaux Field, there was some upside.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
  • The Yankees’ bullpen also kept the Rangers off the board, as Mark Leiter Jr., Devin Williams and Luke Weaver all threw blank innings in the low-scoring affair.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.
    Michael Abbott, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 14 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • But the Lions scored three times in the top of the third off USD starter Cal Scolari.
    Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025
  • As the Cubs, winners in seven of their last nine, head into an off day Thursday, here are three takeaways from their second straight series victory.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
Adjective
  • On his release, Stern went on to spend the 1950s ping-ponging between New York and California, for a time living on a disused laundry barge in Sausalito.
    News Desk, Artforum, 3 Mar. 2025
  • One of the most powerful scenes in Sugarcane takes place in a disused barn where, over a period of decades, Indigenous children worked under the lash.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In the early 1900s, Jennie Butchart transformed the scarred land of a barren limestone quarry into a lush retreat, proving nature’s resilience.
    Cheryl Russell, Oc Register, 11 May 2025
  • The inky ocean depths are often assumed to be barren, but this is a myth, said Adrian Glover, a deep-sea ocean scientist at the UK’s Natural History Museum.
    Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Unsupervised models offer a scalable way to extract insights from data that would otherwise go unused.
    Christer Holloman, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
  • After more than a week of oil shooting vertically out of an unused well off the coast of Louisiana, the U.S. Coast Guard announced Sunday evening that the offshore well blowout — first reported on April 26 — has been controlled.
    Dan Ruetenik, CBS News, 5 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacant. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vacant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!