Vacate is a verba word that expresses an action, state, or occurrence with three related but distinctclearly different from each other and not the same meanings. It can mean to leave a job or official position, to move out of a place, or to officiallyin a formal, authorized way, usually by proper authority cancel a legal decision.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /veɪˈkeɪt/
Easy pronunciation: vay-KATE (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable.
Verb meaning to leave a job, post, or position voluntarily.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Vacate Meaning
to give up a job or role
Part of speech: verb
Definition: leave a job, post, or position voluntarily
Example: She vacated the position when she got pregnant.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- resign — A direct match when someone leaves a job or office voluntarily.
- give up — Works in the sense of giving up a position, though it is less formal.
- renounce — Can fit when someone formally gives up a post or claim, but it is more formal and less common in everyday job contexts.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Vacate
Meaning 2
to move out and leave a place empty
Part of speech: verb
Definition: leave behind empty; move out of
Example: You must vacate your office by tonight.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- abandon — Can mean leaving a place empty, but it often suggests leaving something behind and may sound stronger than vacate.
- empty — A good fit when the sense is to clear out a room or building.
Meaning 3
to officially cancel or set aside
Part of speech: verb
Definition: cancel officially
Example: The court vacated the death sentence.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- annul — A close formal synonym for officially cancelling a legal decision.
- countermand — Works when an order or command is officially cancelled, but it is narrower in use.
- lift — Works when an official restriction, order, or ban is removed.
- overturn — A strong match when a court or authority sets aside a decision.
- repeal — A good match for officially cancelling a law.
- rescind — A direct formal synonym for officially cancelling something.
- reverse — Can work for changing or cancelling a decision, especially in legal or official contexts.
- revoke — A direct match for officially cancelling a right, license, or decision.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Vacate Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- resign
- give up
- renounce
leave a place empty; move out of
- empty
- abandon
cancel officially
- annul
- countermand
- lift
- overturn
- repeal
- rescind
- reverse
- revoke
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using vacate to mean simply 'cancel' in casual speech without the official sense.
- Using vacate for any kind of leaving, when it usually refers to a job, place, or formal decision.
- Confusing vacate with evacuate, which means to leave a place for safety reasons.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does vacate mean?
Vacate means to leave a job or place, or to officially cancel a decision.
Is vacate the same as resign?
Sometimes. Vacate can mean leaving a job or position, and resign is the most direct synonym in that sense.
What is vacate in law?
In law, vacate often means to officially cancel or set aside a court decision or order.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
