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

That would put a dent in downtown’s office vacancy rate, which has hovered around 38% lately, according to CBRE. —Jon Murray, Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2026

Office vacancies have remained elevated in the Bay Area, even years after the end of the business lockdowns. —George Avalos, Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2026

Caraway said the vacancy gives voters a fresh start and that her legislative background sets her apart. —From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 26 Jan. 2026

Now, as vacancy rates in the life science sector sit just under 30%, landlords are making concessions. —Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Jan. 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