Clear vs Vacant

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Clear

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

Vacant

Top 3,000 (common) C1 adjective

Most common: Clear

	Clear	Vacant
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/klɪə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/klɪr/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈveɪ.kənt// 🇺🇸 //ˈveɪ.kənt//
Meaning	Easy to see through or understand.	Empty or not occupied.
Example	The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic.	The apartment has been vacant for several months.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 3,000 (common)
CEFR level	A2	C1
Part of speech	adjective	adjective
Collocations	be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, to, clear and concise, be, seem, become, extremely, fairly, very, to, clear and concise, be, extremely, fairly, very, about, on, be, look, become, extremely, fairly, very, loud and clear, be, become, extremely, fairly, very, be, look, seem, completely, fairly, pretty, of	vacant seat, vacant position, vacant lot, vacant room
Antonyms	cloudy, unclear, muddy	occupied, filled, crowded
Common mistakes	'Clear' is often confused with 'clean.', 'Clear' is sometimes incorrectly used as a verb instead of an adjective., Learners may forget to use 'clear' to describe abstract concepts, like thoughts.	Confused with 'vacation' as in time off., Used incorrectly to describe busy places., Said as 'vacant of' instead of simply 'vacant'.
Usage notes	Use 'clear' to describe something easily understood or free of obstructions. It’s appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. Avoid using it in overly technical discussions where precision matters.	Use 'vacant' to describe spaces, positions, or expressions that lack activity or occupation. It's suitable for both written and spoken contexts, but avoid using it in informal settings.

See it in real clips

Sherlock › S1 E1

Quite clear.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

One good fall, he'd clear 6, 8 grand.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

Is that clear?

Sherlock › S1 E1

Quite clear.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

One good fall, he'd clear 6, 8 grand.

Clear

Sherlock › S1 E1

Look at you lot. You're all so vacant.

The Wire › S1 E1

Decomp in a vacant apartment.

Sherlock › S1 E1

Look at you lot. You're all so vacant.

The Wire › S1 E1

Decomp in a vacant apartment.

Vacant

Frequently asked questions: Clear vs Vacant

What's the difference between Clear and Vacant?

Clear: Easy to see through or understand. Vacant: Empty or not occupied.

Which is more common: Clear and Vacant?

Clear is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Clear and Vacant?

Vacant is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Clear and Vacant the same CEFR level?

Clear: A2, Vacant: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Clear and Vacant?

Clear: adjective, Vacant: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Clear: The sky is very clear today, perfect for a picnic. Vacant: The apartment has been vacant for several months.

Can I use Clear and Vacant interchangeably?

Not always. Clear and Vacant are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.