unoccupied
/ʌnˈɒkjʊpaɪd/adjective★Intermediate— not occupied
formal
Not being used or taken; empty.
The conference room remained unoccupied for most of the day.
The conference room stayed empty for most of the day.
She prefers an unoccupied plot of land to build her garden.
She prefers a vacant piece of land to build her garden.
💡
Commonly used for rooms, seats, land, or any space that can be taken or used.
Collocations
unoccupied buildinga building that is empty and not in useunoccupied seata seat that no one is sitting inunoccupied timeperiods when no activity is scheduled
Related Phrases
📖Word Origin
From the prefix un- ‘not’ + occupied, which comes from Latin occupare ‘to seize, take up’. First recorded in the early 17th century.
📝Usage Notes
Used more often for places or objects than for people. In real‑estate listings you will see ‘unoccupied property’ meaning it is not being lived in.
English Dictionary