- 1(of a seat, hotel room, house, etc.) empty; not being used synonym unoccupied vacant properties The seat next to him was vacant. (especially North American English) a vacant lot (= a piece of land in a city that is not being used) There is a room vacant, as it happens. compare engaged, occupied Oxford Collocations Dictionary verbsbe, become, fall, … See full entry See related entries: Buying a home, How a building looks
- 2(formal) if a job in a company is vacant, nobody is doing it and it is available for somebody to take When the post finally fell (= became) vacant, they offered it to Fiona. (British English) Situations Vacant (= a section in a newspaper where jobs are advertised) The position left vacant in July has not yet been filled. Oxford Collocations Dictionary verbsbe, become, fall, … See full entry
- 3(of a look, an expression, etc.) showing no sign that the person is thinking of anything a vacant look She had large vacant brown eyes. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French, or from Latin vacant- ‘remaining empty’, from the verb vacare.Extra examples A seat became vacant and he sat down in it. The job will be kept vacant for a few more weeks. The office of president had been left vacant since her retirement. There are very few vacant properties available in the area. a vacant lot
vacant
adjectiveBrE BrE//ˈveɪkənt//; NAmE NAmE//ˈveɪkənt//
Buying a home, How a building looksCheck pronunciation: vacant
