vacancy

noun

va·​can·​cy ˈvā-kən(t)-sē 

plural vacancies

1

: a vacant office, post, or tenancy

2

a

: a vacating of an office, post, or piece of property

b

: the time such office or property is vacant

3

: physical or mental inactivity or relaxation : idleness

4

: empty space : void

specifically : an unoccupied site for an atom or ion in a crystal

5

: the state of being vacant : vacuity

6

archaic : an interval of leisure

Synonyms

• black hole
• blank
• blankness
• emptiness
• vacuity
• void

Examples of vacancy in a Sentence

School administrators are trying to fill vacancies before the beginning of the school year.

There were no vacancies at the hotel.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to Forbes, New York City’s rent vacancy dropped to 1.41% in 2023, the lowest vacancy rate since 1968. —William Mullane, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024

Johnny Sauter will step in to fill the vacancy by driving the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

The Democrat appointed to fill Feinstein’s vacancy, Laphonza Butler, did not seek to replace her. —Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024

If O’Brien wins, the governor would fill the vacancy created in his current seat by making an appointment. —Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

vac(ant) + -ancy, in part after Medieval Latin vacantia

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Kids Definition

vacancy

noun

va·​can·​cy ˈvā-kən-sē 

plural vacancies

1

: something (as an office or hotel room) that is vacant

2

: empty space

3

: the state of being vacant