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
-
Her outfit was devoid of any other color.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
This is a story devoid of childlike wonder, just the horrific evil men are capable of and the small acts of grace found in unspeakable circumstances.—
Chris Nashawaty,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
For a few hours, there's no doom and gloom on the news, no family drama, no Slack notifications, no people fighting about dumb stuff on social media.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
That there are actually people trying to turn this guy – the name is Brendan Sorsby — into some kind of victim is just as dumb as that injunction.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist, and Logan Stankoven scored a goal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
If Congress doesn't act and allows the trust fund to empty, the program will only pay out what the government collects in taxes.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fans wear their favorite players’ name, beg for their autograph and spend stupid amounts of money just to be in their proximity.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Not every bee was successful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s such a thing as a stupid bumblebee, Loukola says.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps more interesting still are the hundreds of barren whale remains that the researchers saw during their dives.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
-
In a barren free-agent class, though, that’s much easier said than done.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Dems slow to embrace data center resistance McMillan Cottom suggested that no public officials on the right or the left have perfected their messaging to align with anti-data center sentiments.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
Eating a donut earlier in the day is easier on your body than eating it at night when insulin sensitivity and metabolism slow.—
Brandi Jones,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
My wife goes into the kitchen and returns with beer, fruit, and a few simple dishes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The measure needs a simple majority to win.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Whisk it in until the dressing is rich, thick, and emulsified, which takes less than a minute.—
Victoria Spencer,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
-
With adjustable straps, a thick elastic band, empire waist, and a ruffle trim, this Grace Karin maxi will become the most versatile dress in your closet.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacuous. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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