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

While vacancies have plagued the properties, there is significant interest in transitional housing, Diane Lampe told the council during the public comment period. —Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025

The rumor mill linked Belichick’s name to the coaching vacancy almost immediately as the team dismissed Brian Daboll earlier this week. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 12 Nov. 2025

The initial round of candidates totaled roughly a dozen, a pool of phone interviews to fill two coaching vacancies on the Royals’ hitting staff. —Sam McDowell 12, Kansas City Star, 12 Nov. 2025

There’s very, very little vacancy. —Fortune Editors, Fortune, 12 Nov. 2025

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