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

In New York, post-Covid hybrid working schedules have devastated commercial real estate (the office vacancy rate is around 50%), as well as the thousands of local businesses that cater to commuters. —The Week Uk, theweek, 23 June 2024

The vacancy occurred April 3, which puts November beyond the 180-day window. —Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin sacked four deputy defense ministers Monday and appointed a relative to fill one of the resulting vacancies. —Reuters, NBC News, 18 June 2024

The Lakers hosted former player and current broadcaster JJ Redick on Saturday in their most formal interview with him to date, with multiple members of the organization speaking to the former Duke star about the team’s head-coaching vacancy. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 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