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

Despite such conversions, vacancies continue to rise. —Lorraine Mirabella, Baltimore Sun, 12 July 2024

Business With vacancies soaring, developer abandons plans for L.A. Arts District office tower June 10, 2024 Video recently taken at the site shows a pair of ducks swimming through the murky water. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2024

State of play: Office vacancy is expected to peak then start falling as AI and other emerging tech companies continue to seek out more space, according to CBRE Tech Insights Center executive director Colin Yasukochi. —Shawna Chen, Axios, 10 July 2024

When a school board vacancy arises, by state law, the local school board may send my office up to three names. —Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 10 July 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