Definition of "vacantly" []

• In a vacant manner; inanely or foolishly. (adverb)

Wiktionary.org : Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• "Wanless, answered enquiries as to Ingram's behaviour under what Mrs. Percival otiosely called "his bereavement," echoed speculations at to his whereabouts -- played, in short, vacantly an empty part, and kept her mother upon tenterhooks."
• "At this point the imagery begins to repeat itself in different iterations, as it will for the rest of the novel: The man is at the station where the woman is now looking at him "vacantly"; the dog appears again, blocking his path; he walks along the street, where "a cyclist is trying to pedal along," the fish in his saddle bag now joined by a loaf of bread on top of it."
• "Now that they were together for the first time in a distinctly social fashion, he found himself vacantly, meaninglessly silent, content to walk beside this charming, summery presence, brushed by its delicate draperies, and inhaling its freshness."