1
as in devoid
lacking contents that could or should be present
a great vacuous space that should have been filled with an audience
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
a movie that was enthusiastically derided for its vacuous dialogue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vacuous
Maybe John-John was a vacuous jock type, but even hunks have souls.
—
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
The book is padded out by big type, airy leading and slight, vacuous tributes to the likes of Gregory Peck and Truman Capote produced for organs like the American Film Institute or the Book of the Month club.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
Hollywood, having decided that no spectacle is too vacuous, no common denominator too low, has aligned itself with OneTaste.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
People feel free to throw out the first, poorly-thought-out, vacuous reaction to any news story — whether based in fact or fiction, and regardless of negative consequences.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacuous
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
The book is padded out by big type, airy leading and slight, vacuous tributes to the likes of Gregory Peck and Truman Capote produced for organs like the American Film Institute or the Book of the Month club.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
Hollywood, having decided that no spectacle is too vacuous, no common denominator too low, has aligned itself with OneTaste.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
People feel free to throw out the first, poorly-thought-out, vacuous reaction to any news story — whether based in fact or fiction, and regardless of negative consequences.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacuous
Adjective
-
On Thursday afternoon, at least two of the parishes marked for closure stood silent and seemingly devoid of activity.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
To be fair, Saturday’s Kentucky Derby field isn’t entirely devoid of notable nomenclature.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Does that kind of discourse-friendly success override the fact that Euphoria is too young, too scummy, and too dumb to fit into the usual Emmy pattern?—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
-
And that’s where things somehow got even dumber After being questioned by security, Beyer reportedly gave a fake name, which prompted them to call police.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s been maddening to watch a lineup full of high-end hitters come up empty night after night in April, a month that has felt as long as about three.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
After sitting empty since Sting and Styler moved out, per the New York Post, the stylish spread has just returned to the market for $45 million, a whopping $5 million less than the current owner paid.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran — theyr’e not stupid.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
-
That was celebrated by the lefties as liberation, or something stupid like that.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
So is neighboring Idaho, home to a federal nuclear lab, and Utah, where Governor Spencer Cox recently staged a press conference in the barren scrubland west of Salt Lake City.—
Kirk Siegler,
NPR,
2 May 2026
-
Ground covers can suppress weeds, protect topsoil from erosion and drought, and fill empty gaps between stepping stones, pavers, and barren ground.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Banchero up-and-down The Magic superstar forward got off to a slow start by opening 1-for-6 from the field, including missing his first four 3-pointers.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 May 2026
-
More Americans are heading into retirement without a pension, and are instead leaning on savings accounts and investment portfolios that have become increasingly subject to market swings and the slow erosion of inflation.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
These are products have a short, simple ingredient lists that are easy to understand for regular consumers and are free from additives.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
-
Sometimes this involved simple in-person observations.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Keep moisture in the soil by adding a a 3- or 4-inch-thick layer of insulating, coarse wood (NOT BARK) mulch, leaving some bare sunny spots for ground dwelling native bees.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Then remove a few of the oldest, thickest living stems, cutting them down to about 2 inches from the ground.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacuous. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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