vacant

adjective

ˈvā-kənt How to pronounce vacant (audio)
Definition of vacantnext
1
as in empty
lacking contents that could or should be present a vacant room that could be converted into a classroom

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment looking for vacant land on which to build a house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blank
not expressing any emotion the prisoner's vacant and distracted expression

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in deserted
left unoccupied or unused police discovered that vagrants had been sleeping in the vacant warehouse

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vacant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vacant are blank, empty, vacuous, and void. While all these words mean "lacking contents which could or should be present," vacant suggests an absence of appropriate contents or occupants.

a vacant apartment

When can blank be used instead of vacant?

While in some cases nearly identical to vacant, blank stresses the absence of any significant, relieving, or intelligible features on a surface.

a blank wall

When would empty be a good substitute for vacant?

In some situations, the words empty and vacant are roughly equivalent. However, empty suggests a complete absence of contents.

an empty bucket

When is vacuous a more appropriate choice than vacant?

While the synonyms vacuous and vacant are close in meaning, vacuous suggests the emptiness of a vacuum and especially the lack of intelligence or significance.

a vacuous facial expression

When is it sensible to use void instead of vacant?

The words void and vacant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, void suggests absolute emptiness as far as the mind or senses can determine.

a statement void of meaning

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vacant Holyoak lived with a girlfriend and others at a vacant property in La Sal, according to The Times-Independent. —Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025 The property has been vacant since, though it has been used as a storage site for homeless residents' belongings. —Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 18 Sep. 2025 Preservationists stepped in to keep the company from its standard practice of demolishing a vacant building. —Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 18 Sep. 2025 There are also three vacant sites and one parking lot. —Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vacant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacant
  1. empty
  2. dormant
  3. blank
  4. deserted
  5. devoid
  6. off
  7. disused
  8. barren
Adjective
  • But the White House should not settle for empty promises and construction photo-ops.
    — Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Jîna’s parents, Mojgan Eftekhari and Amjad Amini, sat beside her empty grave.
    — Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of empty
Adjective
  • Often when faced with a trauma, a redwood will swell a bank of dormant buds and woody tissue to create burls.
    — Greg Sullivan, AFAR Media, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Note that plants go dormant in areas that experience hard freezes.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • The opening splash screen outlines all the different features available to you, from starting with a blank canvas to recording yourself through your webcam.
    — David Nield, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
  • In the General Tab there is a blank space under Launch Options.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of blank
Adjective
  • As Joshua Tree luxury rentals market gains momentum, expect the desert to feel a little less deserted.
    — Paula Conway, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • So how does Fernanda end up bound on the floor of a deserted cabin, held hostage by one of her teachers and estranged from Annelise?
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of deserted
Adjective
  • Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.
    — Michael Abbott, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2024
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • This November’s key off-year contests and the 2026 midterm elections may not go well for the Republican Party; historically, the president’s party loses ground in both.
    — David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The peekaboo bra layering trend saw a resurgence in 2024, thanks in part to celebrities like Katie Holmes, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kristen Stewart and more styling the trend on the red carpet and with their off-duty attire.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of off
Adjective
  • The easy route takes visitors along a disused rail line for a gentle jaunt in one of the Pacific Northwest's loveliest regions.
    — Stacey Lastoe, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Victoria's body was later found in a disused shed in Brighton inside a shopping bag, the outlet reported.
    — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of disused
Adjective
  • At the time, only a handful of the university’s buildings were completed and the barren campus lacked landscaping.
    — Ron Hasse, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
  • One of vultures in a barren tree.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Definition of barren

Browse Nearby Words

vacancy
vacant
vacantness
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Cite this Entry

“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacant. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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