vacant

[vey-kuhnt]

adjective

1. having no contents; empty; void.

   a vacant niche.

2. having no occupant; unoccupied.

   no vacant seats on this train.

3. not in use.

   a vacant room.

4. devoid of thought or reflection.

   a vacant mind.

5. characterized by, showing, or proceeding from lack of thought or intelligence.

   a vacant answer; a vacant expression on a face.

   Synonyms: inane, vacuous, blank

6. not occupied by an incumbent, official, or the like, as a benefice or office.

7. free from work, business, activity, etc..

   vacant hours.

8. characterized by or proceeding from absence of occupation.

   a vacant life.

9. devoid or destitute (often followed byof ).

   He was vacant of human sympathy.

10. Law.

    1. having no tenant and devoid of furniture, fixtures, etc. (unoccupied ).

       a vacant house.

    2. idle or unutilized; open to any claimant, as land.

    3. without an incumbent; having no heir or claimant; abandoned.

       a vacant estate.

vacant

/ ˈveɪkənt /

adjective

1. without any contents; empty

2. devoid (of something specified)

3. having no incumbent; unoccupied

   a vacant post

4. having no tenant or occupant

   a vacant house

5. characterized by or resulting from lack of thought or intelligent awareness

   a vacant stare

6. (of time, etc) not allocated to any activity

   a vacant hour in one's day

7. spent in idleness or inactivity

   a vacant life

8. law (of an estate, etc) having no heir or claimant

Other Word Forms

• vacantly adverb
• vacantness noun
• nonvacant adjective
• nonvacantly adverb
• unvacant adjective
• unvacantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of vacant¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, Old French, from Latin vacant- (stem of vacāns, present participle of vacāre “to be empty”); -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of vacant¹

C13: from Latin vacāre to be empty

Synonym Study

See empty.

Example Sentences

“The most common meaning is a vacant expression a Gen Zer gives in response to a question,” a NBC report explained.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The previous year, police were alerted to an intruder at a vacant five-bedroom house.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

By that point, my old house was likely vacant.

Read more on BBC

The current vacant office block at 130 Fenchurch Street, known as Fountain House, will be demolished to make way for two new towers, one with 31 storeys and the other 34.

Read more on BBC

Although Livia's room has been vacant for years, the floral fragrances continue to fill the space like she were still alive.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bare 
• deserted 
• idle 
• unemployed 
• unfilled 
• uninhabited 
• unused