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vacant

adjective
va·​cant | \ ˈvā-kənt How to pronounce vacant (audio) \

Definition of vacant

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 : disengaged vacant hours
4 : devoid of thought, reflection, or expression a vacant smile
5 : not lived in vacant houses
6a : not put to use vacant land
b : having no heir or claimant : abandoned a vacant estate
Other Words from vacant Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about vacant

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Other Words from vacant

vacantly adverb
vacantness noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for vacant

Synonyms

bare, blank, clean, devoid, empty, stark, toom [chiefly Scottish], vacuous, void

Antonyms

full

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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 With his seat now vacant, council members had the option of appointing someone to serve the rest of Sellers’ term, or calling for a special election to fill the position. — Thy Vo, The Mercury News, "Santa Clara to hold two elections for police chief in 2020," 5 Sep. 2019 If completed, the deals will continue a run on space in the huge building at 433 W. Van Buren St. that sat vacant for more than two decades before developer 601W Cos. — Ryan Ori, chicagotribune.com, "Old Post Office closes in on leases with PepsiCo and WeWork," 4 Sep. 2019 Hong Kong's parliament now has 21 days to declare the seat vacant, if no appeals are lodged and the ruling holds. — James Griffiths And Eric Cheung, CNN, "Hong Kong court overturns ban on pro-democracy candidate Agnes Chow," 2 Sep. 2019 Hernandez, who took over the Hammers’ vacant number nine shirt just this summer, leaves record signing Sebastien Haller as the club’s main striker. — SI.com, "Javier Hernandez Completes Permanent ÂŁ7m Transfer From West Ham to Sevilla," 2 Sep. 2019 The consulate was a comfort’ The Samuel Hyde House, the now-vacant mansion that housed Russian diplomats, was for many a community centerpiece. — Paige Cornwell, The Seattle Times, "More than a year after the Seattle consulate closed, Russians and Russian Americans ‘feel like we are left on our own’," 1 Sep. 2019 Last month, music and movie mogul David Geffen shelled out $30 million for a vacant acre in a nearby and ultra-exclusive enclave known as Billionaires’ Row. — Los Angeles Times, "Hot Property: WWE’s ‘The Miz’ pins down a massive mansion in Westlake Village," 31 Aug. 2019 If confirmed, Shaw will fill the seat that became vacant when Birch died of a torn aorta Aug. 7. — James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, "Dunleavy picks state Rep. Laddie Shaw to fill Alaska state Senate vacancy," 31 Aug. 2019 Tim Gregory and Mallory Douthit off JLL are handling leasing of the 52,000-square-foot building, which is being built on a long-vacant parcel at Bissonnet and Newcastle. — Katherine Feser, Houston Chronicle, "Real estate transactions: Medical office building breaks ground in Bellaire," 30 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vacant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of vacant

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for vacant

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," wakƥyi- "be lacking"

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More Definitions for vacant

vacant

adjective
How to pronounce vacant (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of vacant

: not filled, used, or lived in
formal, of a job or position : not occupied by a person : available to be taken by someone
: showing no indication of what someone is thinking, feeling, etc.

See the full definition for vacant in the English Language Learners Dictionary

vacant

adjective
va·​cant | \ ˈvā-kənt How to pronounce vacant (audio) \

Kids Definition of vacant

1 : not filled, used, or lived in a vacant house a vacant lot a vacant job position
2 : showing a lack of thought or expression vacant eyes
3 : free from duties or care vacant hours

Other Words from vacant

vacantly adverb

vacant

adjective
va·​cant

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