be left vacant

USAGE SUMMARY

"be left vacant" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to a space or position that is unoccupied or not filled. Example: "The office will be left vacant until a new tenant is found." Alternative expressions include "remain empty" and "stay unoccupied."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Lower floors might be left vacant, or used for parking garages.

The New York Times

The other might be left vacant for the man who succeeds in producing the first transatlantic coughing spell.

The New Yorker

Ted Kennedy sends a letter to the governor of Massachusetts requesting that his seat not be left vacant if he dies.

The New Yorker

The extensive abatements are intended to attract businesses and jobs to sites in rural and blighted urban areas alike that that would otherwise be left vacant.

The New York Times

In still other cases, it is simply mystifying that apartments would be left vacant for decades, particularly since East Harlem has been a magnet for Mexican and other Latino immigrants, as well as young strivers looking for cheap space.

The New York Times

He said that if he were to lose, he might go after Mr. Peralta's Assembly seat, which would be left vacant, or run again for the State Senate seat in November.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

The eighth slot was left vacant.

The Guardian

Posts are left vacant for want of qualified black staff.

The Economist

Vast stretches of the white plate are left vacant.

The New York Times - Food

Rock having taken the street, the salon was left vacant.

The New Yorker

Many venues built for the Olympics have either been left vacant or completely demolished.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal reporting about job roles or appointments, this phrase conveys a neutral, objective tone

Common error

Avoid using "be left vacant" when you mean a form field should be empty. In those cases, use "<a href="/s/be+left+blank" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be left blank" instead. "Vacant" almost always implies a space that someone could inhabit or a role someone could fill.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be left vacant" functions as a passive verb phrase. It is composed of the auxiliary verb "be", the past participle "left" (from the verb "leave") and the adjective "vacant". According to Ludwig AI, it typically acts as the predicate of a sentence describing the state of an object or position.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Social Media

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be left vacant" is a standard and highly effective expression in English. Ludwig AI indicates that it is most frequently used in professional and journalistic contexts to describe unoccupied physical spaces or unfilled institutional roles. Whether you are writing about real estate, political appointments or scientific structures (like ionic sites), this phrase provides a precise way to indicate that a position or space remains empty. It is often interchangeable with "<a href="/s/remain+unoccupied" target="_blank" rel="alternative">remain unoccupied" or "<a href="/s/be+left+unfilled" target="_blank" rel="alternative">be left unfilled", but "be left vacant" remains one of the most versatile and widely recognized options.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remain vacant

Emphasizes the continuation of the empty state over time

remain unoccupied

Slightly more formal and often used in real estate or legal contexts

stay vacant

A more informal way to express that a space is not being used

stay empty

Uses simpler vocabulary while maintaining the core meaning

stand vacant

Commonly used for buildings or land that are not in use

be left unfilled

Specifically used for job positions, roles or seats rather than physical rooms

lie empty

Often used in a more descriptive or literary sense

be left open

Can imply that a position is available for applicants

be kept empty

Suggests a deliberate choice to not fill the space

be vacated

Focuses on the action of leaving rather than the resulting state

FAQs

How do I use "be left vacant" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an empty post or property, such as: "The judicial seat will "be left vacant" until after the election."

What is the difference between "be left vacant" and "remain empty"?

While similar, "<a href="/s/remain+empty" target="_blank" rel="alternative">remain empty" is more general, whereas "be left vacant" often implies a formal status, such as a legal or official vacancy in a building or a job.

Can I use "be left vacant" for a job position?

Yes, it is very common in news reporting to say a post or office will "be left vacant" due to budget cuts or lack of qualified candidates.

Is "be left vacant" formal?

Yes, it is considered neutral to formal and is frequently used in professional journalism and business documents.