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
Rather, Bischoff said the goal is to obtain a balanced budget by eliminating vacant positions and controlling expenses.
—
Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 June 2024
In fact, the four vacant positions must be filled immediately.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
The city can easily start by implementing an immediate school cop hiring freeze and elimination of vacant positions this budget cycle.
—Camilla Vaquero, New York Daily News, 17 June 2024
To cover the budget’s almost $62 million structural hole, Baltimore is relying heavily on cuts to vacant positions across city agencies and a shift in funding for city police positions from Baltimore’s general fund to a state revenue source that helps pay for civilian positions.
—Emily Opilo, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for vacant 
Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 June 2024
In fact, the four vacant positions must be filled immediately.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
The city can easily start by implementing an immediate school cop hiring freeze and elimination of vacant positions this budget cycle.
—Camilla Vaquero, New York Daily News, 17 June 2024
To cover the budget’s almost $62 million structural hole, Baltimore is relying heavily on cuts to vacant positions across city agencies and a shift in funding for city police positions from Baltimore’s general fund to a state revenue source that helps pay for civilian positions.
—Emily Opilo, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for vacant
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 4 Jul. 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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