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

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 of vacant

• empty
• devoid
• barren

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

After shuttering some five decades later, the land was largely vacant until the former mayor of Seattle, Paul Schell, and his wife, Pam, built their dream hotel from the ground up. — Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2026

In a region where the demand for housing outpaces its supply, a pack of coyotes have made a vacant construction site their home. — N. Kirkpatrick, Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2026

The changes beef up requirements for registering vacant properties with the city, including owners letting the city know their intent going forward. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

With the Pole having joined the Chicago Fire this summer on a free transfer following four highly successful years in Catalonia, the jersey donned by greats such as Luis Suarez, Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldo Nazario is vacant. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for vacant

• secant

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