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

As a result, during the same period, the RN vacancy rate at these hospitals has dropped significantly to a miniscule rate. —Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026

The team used a dense ensemble of diamonds containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, each hosting electron spins that can be flipped to represent quantum states. —Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026

Republicans have a historically small majority in the House, currently just 220 to 213, with two vacancies. —W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026

Cassellius, who said she was impacted by the Journal Sentinel’s reporting, made the vacancy issue a central focus, setting a goal of every student having a licensed, permanent teacher in their classroom. —Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 30 Dec. 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