VACANT Synonyms: 185 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

vacant

adjective

ˈvā-kənt

Definition of vacant

as in empty

lacking contents that could or should be present a vacant room that could be converted into a classroom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dormant

not being in a state of use, activity, or employment looking for vacant land on which to build a house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in blank

not expressing any emotion the prisoner's vacant and distracted expression

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deserted

left unoccupied or unused police discovered that vagrants had been sleeping in the vacant warehouse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 While most of the burglaries have been when the houses are vacant, the home of Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was targeted while his family was home in July. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026 Norwich is also undertaking several large-scale park improvement jobs, and is working with Preston and surrounding communities to advance the redevelopment of the long-vacant Norwich State Hospital site. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 The obsolete buildings are gone, Zurich fills up vacant space, and his village remains on the cutting edge. — Alex Nitkin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Across a few overs, Cox was guilty of trying to steer a fifth stump line into the leg side, drawn in by the vacant space, but also his own apparent superiority over the bowler. — Ben Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vacant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacant

Adjective

Videos on social media published last week showed empty markets in Tehran and Karaj, with sellers complaining that their fresh produce is not being bought.

— Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Over a four-hour span, workers helped empty cars of a vast list of items that included televisions, computers, printers and cables along with household items including electric toothbrushes, fryers, hair dryers, holiday lights and more.

— David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of empty

Adjective

For me, Sliman was pouring water on a dormant seed anxious to sprout.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Various micro-organisms (bacteria, fungi, yeasts) can also lie dormant in the tissues for centuries and can recolonize and multiply due to a ready supply of organic material—particularly if the remains have been stored in suboptimal conditions.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of dormant

Adjective

Seko is advising shippers to build seven- to 10-day-plus buffers into east China bookings and prepare for potential port omissions, blank sailings and cargo diversions to alternative gateways including Qingdao, Busan and Hong Kong.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
The familiar last name and near-blank political slate pulled him in.

— Saige Miller, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of blank

Adjective

Among all the far-off places, and all the deserted and unknown cities, among all the lawless, godless regions, the Guayrá was an oasis.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
The red-brick Southeast Lighthouse, perched atop the Mohegan Bluffs, is all but deserted.

— Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of deserted

Adjective

The strangeness rests on the antique, out-of-time nature of the set dressing, but also in the slightly off color combinations Arnold and his team chose, and in the sense of things being hand-made, injecting the sense of A Presence into the space.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
There have been stretches of the season where scoring enough runs has felt impossible if Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber has an off day.

— Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of off

Adjective

At least 14 artisanal miners are dead and scores are injured at a disused mine in South Africa, police said Tuesday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Motion opened the gallery in Kings Cross in a disused betting parlor next door to a kebab shop in 2016 while also holding down a day job.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of disused

Adjective

Supposedly posing a threat to their idyll on the outskirts are various marauding splinter groups running amok through the barren wasteland of the American Mountain West.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026
Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough, Swansea City and Birmingham City, all now Championship clubs, have won silverware during Everton’s three barren decades.

— Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of barren

Browse Nearby Words

vacancy

vacant

vacantness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacant. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of vacant

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

kith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes