vacant

UK: /ˈveɪkənt/ US: /ˈveɪkənt/ ,(vā′kənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

va•cant /ˈveɪkənt/   adj. 

1. having no contents;
   empty.
2. having no occupant;
   unoccupied:
   a vacant seat.
3. not in use:
   a vacant warehouse.
4. lacking in intelligence:
   a vacant expression.
5. not occupied by an incumbent, official, or the like, as a political office:
   a vacant senate seat.

See -vac-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

va•cant  (vā′kənt), adj. 

1. having no contents;
   empty;
   void:
   a vacant niche.
2. having no occupant;
   unoccupied:
   no vacant seats on this train.
3. not in use:
   a vacant room.
4. devoid of thought or reflection:
   a vacant mind.
5. characterized by, showing, or proceeding from lack of thought or intelligence:
   a vacant answer; a vacant expression on a face.
6. not occupied by an incumbent, official, or the like, as a benefice or office.
7. free from work, business, activity, etc.:
   vacant hours.
8. characterized by or proceeding from absence of occupation:
   a vacant life.
9. devoid or destitute (often fol. by of ):
   He was vacant of human sympathy.
10. Law
    • having no tenant and devoid of furniture, fixtures, etc. (distinguished from unoccupied):
      a vacant house.
    • idle or unutilized;
      open to any claimant, as land.
    • without an incumbent;
      having no heir or claimant;
      abandoned:
      a vacant estate.

• Latin vacant- (stem of vacāns, present participle of vacāre to be empty); see -ant
• Middle English 1250–1300

va′cant•ly, adv. 
va′cant•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. See empty. 
• 5. blank, vacuous, inane.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

vacant / ˈveɪkənt/ adjective

1. without any contents; empty
2. (postpositive) followed by of: devoid (of something specified)
3. having no incumbent; unoccupied: a vacant post
4. having no tenant or occupant: a vacant house
5. characterized by or resulting from lack of thought or intelligent awareness: a vacant stare
6. (of time, etc) not allocated to any activity: a vacant hour in one's day
7. spent in idleness or inactivity: a vacant life
8. (of an estate, etc) having no heir or claimant

Etymology: 13th Century: from Latin vacāre to be empty

ˈvacantly adverb