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 of vacancy

• emptiness
• 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

New Jersey’s law would allow employers to post some job ads without a vacancy for a maximum of 90 days, but only if the ad includes a disclaimer that no existing position is available. —Michelle Travis, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

This is an unprecedented number of vacancies, even for a White House that has shown little interest in traditional diplomacy. —Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026

The San Jose office vacancy rate remains stubbornly high post-pandemic. —Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 26 May 2026

The Golden Knights have used the flimsy pretext of still being alive in the playoffs to deny other teams –– especially division rivals like the Kings and Edmonton Oilers –– permission to speak to Cassidy about vacancies. —Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 25 May 2026

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