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
Synonyms
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
In March 2021, a Fresno man with a history of mental illness named Joseph Gutierrez was shot to death after a struggle with a 21-year-old guard outside a vacant building.
—
Calmatters, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
The bulk of the properties listed last week are retail — some with tenants, some vacant and some with an office component — but the offerings also include an industrial property in unincorporated Arapahoe County and a Greenwood Village parking lot where an office project could be developed.
—Thomas Gounley, The Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Work paused for years when money ran dry, according to the Kansas Historical Society, and the unfinished building sat vacant until a push after the Great Depression to resume work.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Officials continue to investigate after skeletal remains were found at a vacant building in the Russell neighborhood Friday.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024
Authorities have identified the 72-year-old woman who died after a fire started in a vacant house next door and spread to two more homes, injuring a firefighter in the process, authorities said.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2024
She was beaten to death and was found at a vacant apartment in the Woodhaven neighborhood in Fort Worth.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2024
While on a tour of the city years ago, the siblings saw the vacant former school building and inquired as to what the status of the property was.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
The presidency is vacant; the prime minister has announced his intention to resign; the National Assembly has gone home.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Calmatters, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024
The bulk of the properties listed last week are retail — some with tenants, some vacant and some with an office component — but the offerings also include an industrial property in unincorporated Arapahoe County and a Greenwood Village parking lot where an office project could be developed.
—Thomas Gounley, The Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Work paused for years when money ran dry, according to the Kansas Historical Society, and the unfinished building sat vacant until a push after the Great Depression to resume work.
—Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Officials continue to investigate after skeletal remains were found at a vacant building in the Russell neighborhood Friday.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 16 Apr. 2024
Authorities have identified the 72-year-old woman who died after a fire started in a vacant house next door and spread to two more homes, injuring a firefighter in the process, authorities said.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2024
She was beaten to death and was found at a vacant apartment in the Woodhaven neighborhood in Fort Worth.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2024
While on a tour of the city years ago, the siblings saw the vacant former school building and inquired as to what the status of the property was.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2024
The presidency is vacant; the prime minister has announced his intention to resign; the National Assembly has gone home.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vacant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near vacant
Cite this Entry
“Vacant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacant. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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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