vacant

adjective

ˈvā-kənt How to pronounce vacant (audio)
Definition of vacantnext
1
as in empty
lacking contents that could or should be present a vacant room that could be converted into a classroom

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment looking for vacant land on which to build a house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blank
not expressing any emotion the prisoner's vacant and distracted expression

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deserted
left unoccupied or unused police discovered that vagrants had been sleeping in the vacant warehouse

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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 Fisk's old business associates seek to claim his vacant mantle. —John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 This move will help reactivate vacant office spaces, alleviate commercial vacancies and contribute to new vitality for downtown businesses and restaurants. —Shelonda Stokes, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2025 Likewise, work is underway, the director added, to find alternate funding sources or consolidate them with currently vacant jobs, for the positions whose grant funding has suddenly ended. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025 Two other seats were left vacant when Democratic lawmakers died. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vacant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacant
  1. empty
  2. dormant
  3. blank
  4. devoid
  5. off
  6. disused
  7. barren
  8. unused
Adjective
  • But the schedule is also noticeably empty toward the backend of the trip.
    — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
  • But Smith is quick to point out that the facility won’t just sit empty between private driving days.
    — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of empty
Adjective
  • Similarly, a fractional COO could focus on scaling operations during a rapid growth phase and lay dormant during less operationally challenging times.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The real culprits, of course, are those bio-raptors who have a severe allergic reaction to light, and (much like certain species of cicada) have lain dormant for years on end.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Newport and her production crew have taken this blank canvas and created a spectacular world for the two characters.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Think of it as the blank canvas of carbonated drinks.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of blank
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
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • Last-minute fixes were still being made, and some Cubs players trickled into the clubhouse to put stuff in their lockers or work out on their off day.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Stewart’s on-field production left a lot to be desired last year, but his motor doesn’t have an off switch.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of off
Adjective
  • 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
  • McQueen spends half an hour dispassionately showing us the grimness of HMP Maze, a Troubles-era warehouse for enemies of the British state on a disused airfield.
    — IndieWire Staff, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024
Definition of disused
Adjective
  • Charlie Parker’s Favorite Painting (1946) indicates Abercrombie’s engagement with social issues: a yellow noose, nearly fluorescent against a dishwater sky, dangles from a barren tree—an oblique lament from the doggedly antiracist Abercrombie.
    — Jeremy Lybarger, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Mass Effect's core loop doesn't benefit from huge barren landscapes that are devoid of detail.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • All unused animal parts—from hooves to stomachs—are composted, turning waste into nutrient-rich soil instead of sending it to landfills.
    — Ethan Stone, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Here’s how to uninstall unused apps: Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of unused

Browse Nearby Words

vacancy
vacant
vacantness
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Cite this Entry

“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacant. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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