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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 Francisco Matamoros, 32, and his wife, Kelly Vaco, 30, were living in a room on the second floor of the vacant building in Miramar occupied by several other migrant families. Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 6 Nov. 2025 Moermond and several other speakers at a public hearing immediately prior to the vote encouraged the council to order the structure razed and removed, though even some critics of the corporation’s handling of its vacant property worried about adding another empty lot to the neighborhood. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2025 Still, theories continue to swirl about why the job remains vacant. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025 Matt Yagyagan, the mayor’s director of policy, said Gloria’s staff is willing to discuss new parking fees and other revenue proposals like taxes on vacant storefronts and more aggressive lease negotiations on city properties. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vacant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacant
Adjective
  • Past Future Continuous shifts focus from the act of leaving to the homes and land left behind — places that grow emptier over time.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The 2026 fest will improve upon this system by swapping out all tanks prior to guest arrival, so each system is fresh and empty at the start of the event.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • In the garden, renewal reigns—from dormant perennials emerging in spring to shrubs bouncing back from a severe pruning, nature refreshes itself.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Pruning is usually done at specific times of the year, typically while a plant is dormant, before new growth emerges in spring, or once the blooming cycle of a plant is done for the season.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The court found Kurashov guilty of firing on the Ukrainian soldier at point blank range during an attack in the vicinity of the village of Pryiutne in the Zaporizhzhia region on January 6, 2024.
    Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Similarly, in the second move, the number eight from the top row is moved down, creating a blank square in the middle of the top row.
    Big Think, Big Think, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Vargas nodded at the nearly deserted river.
    Daniel Gonzalez, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Except for a few children kicking a ball and some chickens pecking the ground, the village seemed almost deserted.
    Daniel Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 5 Nov. 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
  • That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
  • Other Republicans say the criticism of the party’s performance is overkill, noting that the major elections of the evening took place in blue-leaning states during an off-year election.
    Julia Manchester, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Superstar Victor Wembanyama had an off night, scoring just nine points to go with nine rebounds and four blocks.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Colonial Pipeline said its network had been accessed via a compromised password that was linked to a disused virtual private networking account used for remote access.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The venue was a disused Anglican church where Lediņš had been hosting a discothèque.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The barren Martian landscape stretches as far as the eye can see, interrupted only occasionally by the faintest of tire tracks marking the unpaved road on Libya’s north-south route.
    Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
  • In the wild, macaques can traverse miles of novel terrain each week and socialize through grooming, but in many laboratories they are isolated in barren cages no bigger than a washing machine.
    Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacant. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vacant

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