vacate

American  

[vey-keyt, vuh-keyt, vey-] / ˈveɪ keɪt, vəˈkeɪt, veɪ- /

verb (used with object)

vacated, vacating

1. to give up possession or occupancy of.

   to vacate an apartment.

2. to give up or relinquish (an office, position, etc.).

   She recently vacated her position as president of the organization.

3. to render inoperative; deprive of validity; void; annul.

   to vacate a legal judgment.

4. to cause to be empty or unoccupied; make vacant.

   to vacate one's mind of worries.

---

verb (used without object)

vacated, vacating

1. to withdraw from occupancy; surrender possession.

   We will have to vacate when our lease expires.

2. to give up or leave a position, office, etc.

3. to leave; go away.

vacate British  

/ vəˈkeɪt /

verb

1. to cause (something) to be empty, esp by departing from or abandoning it

   to vacate a room

2. (also intr) to give up the tenure, possession, or occupancy of (a place, post, etc); leave or quit

3. law

   1. to cancel or rescind

   2. to make void or of no effect; annul

---

Other Word Forms

• prevacate verb (used with object)
• revacate verb (used with object)
• vacatable adjective

Etymology

Origin of vacate

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin vacātus, past participle of vacāre “to be empty”; cf. vacuum

Explanation

If someone asks you to vacate the room, you'd better pack up your things and go. When you vacate something, you leave it behind, usually empty. When you stay at a hotel, you're required to vacate the room at check-out time. The same goes for the last day of your lease on your apartment or after closing on the sale of your house. In all of these cases, you've got to get going and take all of your stuff with you. The verb vacate can also be used in conjunction with leaving a job, often an appointed office.

Example Sentences

Just days before the defendants’ deadline to file their opening brief with the federal appeals court, the DOJ filed the motion to vacate the convictions altogether.

From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026

Ahead of Saturday’s negotiations, the city center has been sealed off and the five-star Serena Hotel has asked guests to vacate in order to host the visiting delegations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

It was previously revealed that the Hollywood star turned athlete was issued notice by his landlord on Dec. 18, 2025, informing him that he had three days to either pay rent or vacate the premises.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

"However, as a precaution and because the safety and wellbeing of our residents is our highest priority, we took the decision to vacate the building at the earliest opportunity," the group said.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Yet in only a few years, he would be so broke that he couldn’t afford his lighting bill and had to vacate his mansion.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• abandon
• annul
• depart
• dissolve
• empty
• evacuate
• give up
• move out
• quash
• quit
• relinquish
• renounce
• rescind
• reverse
• revoke
• void
• withdraw