Vacantly describes an action or state characterized by a lack of thought, attentiveness, or expression. It signifies an empty or absentminded quality, often associated with a gaze, a response, or a manner. Someone acting vacantly appears inattentive, detached from their surroundings, and seemingly uninterested in what's happening. It suggests a mind elsewhere, lost in thought, or simply not engaged with the present moment. The term frequently highlights a lack of intellectual or emotional presence, painting a picture of a person withdrawn and unresponsive.
Vacantly meaning with examples
- John stared vacantly at the television screen, the images washing over him without eliciting any reaction. His mind was miles away, replaying the events of the day. He didn't hear his wife's questions, lost in his own world. The remote remained untouched in his hand, signifying a physical presence that was contradicted by an absent mental state. It was as if the television's purpose was merely to provide ambient background noise, not actual content.
- Lost in grief, Sarah wandered the house, looking vacantly at the photographs on the wall. Her eyes glazed over as she tried to process the recent tragedy. She reached out a hand, tracing the contours of a face she loved, but her thoughts were intangible. She was unaware of the sun shining through the window, or the sounds of birds. Everything felt far off, in some strange void.
- During the lecture, many students sat vacantly, their eyes glazed with boredom. The professor droned on, and words went in one ear and out the other. Notes remained blank, and they seemed to have no mental energy. The room buzzed around them, but their minds were wandering, each lost in their own thoughts, awaiting freedom. Only time and coffee could bring them back!
- Despite the crowd's cheers, the boxer stood vacantly in the ring after his loss. He did not react, only lost in the reality that he had now lost. His muscles were tense, body ached, but he couldn't move. His eyes scanned the floor, as his dreams began to fade. Defeat was an emotion he had never felt, and now he could not compute.