vagrancy

noun

va·​gran·​cy ˈvā-grən(t)-sē 

plural vagrancies

1

: the state or action of being vagrant

2

: the offense of being a vagrant

3

: vagary

Synonyms

• bee
• caprice
• crank
• fancy
• freak
• humor
• kink
• maggot
• megrim
• notion
• vagary
• whim
• whimsy
• whimsey

Examples of vagrancy in a Sentence

a frequent victim to the vagrancies of the heart, she had a succession of passionate but short-lived romances

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1932 Chicago police raided an apparent summit meeting of gangsters, and arrested Lansky and five others on vagrancy charges. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025

The state would also kick in some funding, but that money could only be used to eliminate crime and vagrancy, according to the bill text. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2025

But vagrancy largely remains a mystery to scientists. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024

By a vote of six to three, the justices empowered cities to enforce laws prohibiting camping and vagrancy, dealing a blow to advocates who argue that the lack of affordable housing is driving a dramatic increase in the unhoused population. —Ella Howard / Made By History, TIME, 10 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

vagr(ant) entry 1 or vagr(ant) entry 2 + -ancy

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

vagrancy

noun

va·​gran·​cy ˈvā-grən(t)-sē 

plural vagrancies

: the state or action of being vagrant

Legal Definition

vagrancy

noun

va·​gran·​cy ˈvā-grən-sē 

plural vagrancies

1

: the act or practice of wandering about from place to place

2

: the crime of wandering about without employment or identifiable means of support

the court struck down the vagrancy law as unconstitutionally vague

Note: Most vagrancy laws have been abolished.