vacate

[ vey-keyt or, especially British, vuh-keyt, vey- ]

/ ˈveɪ keɪt or, especially British, vəˈkeɪt, veɪ- /

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See synonyms for: vacate / vacated / vacating on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), va·cat·ed, va·cat·ing.

to give up possession or occupancy of: to vacate an apartment.

to give up or relinquish (an office, position, etc.): to vacate the presidency of a firm.

to render inoperative; deprive of validity; void; annul: to vacate a legal judgment.

to cause to be empty or unoccupied; make vacant: to vacate one's mind of worries.

verb (used without object), va·cat·ed, va·cat·ing.

to withdraw from occupancy; surrender possession: We will have to vacate when our lease expires.

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

to leave; go away.

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Origin of vacate

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin vacātus, past participle of vacāre “to be empty”; see -ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM vacate

va·cat·a·ble, adjectivepre·va·cate, verb (used with object), pre·va·cat·ed, pre·va·cat·ing.re·va·cate, verb (used with object), re·va·cat·ed, re·va·cat·ing.un·va·cat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use vacate in a sentence

Some of the centers have been confirmed to be vacated, though some overseas Uighurs have said relatives remain detained or missing.
Apple is lobbying against a bill aimed at stopping forced labor in China|Reed Albergotti|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
When Cruz’s lawyers learned of the judge’s illness nearly a year later, they filed papers to have her decision vacated, arguing it was clear she had been impaired.
New York Court Officials Complete Rare Review of Cases Handled by Judge Forced Into Retirement by Dementia|by Joe Sexton|November 20, 2020|ProPublica
More than a dozen officers have been charged and convicted in federal court, and hundreds of criminal cases brought by the officers have been dropped or vacated.
Baltimore approves more than $10 million in new police settlements|Justin Fenton|November 18, 2020|Washington Post
He won the 78th District seat vacated by Assemblyman Todd Gloria, who was elected mayor.
Sacramento Report: 5 Questions for San Diego’s New Assemblyman|Voice of San Diego|November 13, 2020|Voice of San Diego

After vacating her House seat in Southern California, it flipped back to red in a special election and was up for grabs again last week, when Democrat Christy Smith challenged the Republican incumbent Mike Garcia.
Cal Cunningham lost. Katie Hill resigned. Are we still put off by sex scandals?|Lisa Bonos|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
A few days later, a studio functionary called to say the offices were to be vacated.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The government lost; a federal judge vacated the rule in 2009.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The second district is an open seat, vacated by Republican Shelley Moore Capito to run for Senate.
The State Where the Right Won the Culture War|Michael Tomasky|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The soon-vacated site was then overrun by Taliban forces, who had to be driven out roughly a month later by the Afghan army.
Exclusive: CIA Falls Back in Afghanistan|Kimberly Dozier|May 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Enter the beautifully vacated house … and inhabit its luxurious interiors.
Seduced by Art & Beauty ‘At the House of Mr X’|Chloë Ashby|January 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That within the hour all your people—to the last scullion—shall have laid down their arms and vacated Condillac.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Mrs. Towne seated herself in the chair that Dr. Towne had vacated, arranged her dress and folded her hands in her lap.
Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline|Jennie M. Drinkwater
If such an individual is elected to either house of the General Assembly, his former office must be vacated.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
Ten bishoprics were to be abolished, and the vacated sees were to be annexed to those preserved.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
A few days afterwards she had vacated the Rectory, and her furniture was packed into vans to be carried away.
Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series|Mrs. Henry Wood

British Dictionary definitions for vacate

vacate

/ (vəˈkeɪt) /

verb (mainly tr)

to cause (something) to be empty, esp by departing from or abandoning itto vacate a room

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

law

to cancel or rescind
to make void or of no effect; annul

Derived forms of vacate

vacatable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

vacate

Origin of vacate

OTHER WORDS FROM vacate

Words related to vacate

How to use vacate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vacate

Derived forms of vacate