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
6
a
: not put to use
vacant land
b
: having no heir or claimant : abandoned
a vacant estate
vacantly
adverb
vacantness
noun
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
She has also been connected with the vacant CEO role at Channel 4, which would be an intriguing move for someone working at a newer digital player.
—
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
With her position vacant, there is currently no answer to who specifically will take over the office and whether any of its attorneys have any authority to continue regular prosecutorial activity.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2025
The position sat vacant for six months.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
According to a recent report by the Census Bureau, the country added more than 22 million homes between 2005 and 2024, but the effective number of vacant homes during this same time frame rose by only about 570,000.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacant
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Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
With her position vacant, there is currently no answer to who specifically will take over the office and whether any of its attorneys have any authority to continue regular prosecutorial activity.
—Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2025
The position sat vacant for six months.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
According to a recent report by the Census Bureau, the country added more than 22 million homes between 2005 and 2024, but the effective number of vacant homes during this same time frame rose by only about 570,000.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacant
Cite this Entry
“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacant. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vacant
adjective
va·cant
ˈvā-kənt 
1
: not filled, used, or lived in
a vacant house
2
: free from duties or care
a few vacant hours
3
: showing lack of thought
a vacant stare
vacantly
adverb
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