✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

in a vacuum

idiom

: separated from outside events or influences
The group was operating in a vacuum, cut off from the rest of the world.
The city's riots did not happen in a vacuum. They were caused by recent political events.

Examples of in a vacuum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The panelists agreed, however, that some companies are relying too much on AI and new technologies in a vacuum. Rebecca Schneid, Time, 19 Nov. 2025 For starters, almost no one quits their trip in a vacuum. Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 16 Nov. 2025 These attitudes didn’t emerge in a vacuum. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025 Because the speed of light in a vacuum is always constant, this definition is universal. Big Think, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in a vacuum

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In a vacuum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20a%20vacuum. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!