vacant
Americanadjective
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having no contents; empty; void.
a vacant niche.
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having no occupant; unoccupied.
no vacant seats on this train.
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not in use.
a vacant room.
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devoid of thought or reflection.
a vacant mind.
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characterized by, showing, or proceeding from lack of thought or intelligence.
a vacant answer; a vacant expression on a face.
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not occupied by an incumbent, official, or the like, as a benefice or office.
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free from work, business, activity, etc..
vacant hours.
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characterized by or proceeding from absence of occupation.
a vacant life.
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devoid or destitute (often followed byof ).
He was vacant of human sympathy.
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Law.
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having no tenant and devoid of furniture, fixtures, etc. (distinguished from unoccupied).
a vacant house.
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idle or unutilized; open to any claimant, as land.
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without an incumbent; having no heir or claimant; abandoned.
a vacant estate.
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adjective
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without any contents; empty
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devoid (of something specified)
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having no incumbent; unoccupied
a vacant post
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having no tenant or occupant
a vacant house
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characterized by or resulting from lack of thought or intelligent awareness
a vacant stare
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(of time, etc) not allocated to any activity
a vacant hour in one's day
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spent in idleness or inactivity
a vacant life
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law (of an estate, etc) having no heir or claimant
Synonym Usage
See empty.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vacant
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, Old French, from Latin vacant- (stem of vacāns, present participle of vacāre “to be empty”); see -ant
Explanation
You can use the adjective vacant to describe something that is empty — an apartment with no tenant or furniture, a job with no worker, or a person with no brainpower. Vacant has its roots in the Latin word meaning “empty” or “free.” It can mean “unoccupied,” such as that seat next to you on the train — even if you’ve put your coat there. A vacant look or stare, however, is one that shows no intelligence or the slightest spark of interest. One might find this vacant gaze in the eyes of a zombie or in the eyes of a teen who has spent the past five hours gaming.
Vocabulary lists containing vacant
Zilch, Zip, Nada: Words For Nothing
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Nobody's Home: Synonyms For "Absent"
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Seedfolks
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In New York, Aspen Hospitality is spending more than $350 million on converting the 10 floors of vacant office space above the “Today” show’s studios into a 134-room hotel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
But De Ketelaere poked a toe out to knock the ball back to Vanaken, who skipped a shot from about 30 yards past a retreating Ream and into the vacant goal.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
Nearly 2,000 of Portland’s subsidized units sat vacant and unused at last count, as The Oregonian and Willamette Week have reported.
From Salon • Jul. 4, 2026
Unlike their Napa Valley dwelling, which had been left vacant since 2018, the couple’s former home offers incredible design details, as well as an alluring proximity to wine country.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 2, 2026
Kaelin sits in the witness box, with a vacant look on his face.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
