vacuum
Americannoun
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a space entirely devoid of matter.
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an enclosed space from which matter, especially air, has been partially removed so that the matter or gas remaining in the space exerts less pressure than the atmosphere (opposed to plenum).
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the state or degree of exhaustion in such an enclosed space.
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a space not filled or occupied; emptiness; void.
The loss left a vacuum in his heart.
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a vacuum cleaner or sweeper.
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Physics. a state of lowest energy in a quantum field theory.
adjective
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of, pertaining to, employing, or producing a vacuum.
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(of a hollow container) partly exhausted of gas or air.
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pertaining to a device or process that makes use of a vacuum to accomplish a desired task.
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noting or pertaining to canning or packaging in which air is removed from the container to prevent deterioration of the contents.
verb (used with object)
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to use a vacuum cleaner on; clean with a vacuum cleaner.
to vacuum rugs.
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to treat with any vacuum device, as a vacuum drier.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a region containing no matter; free space Compare plenum
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a region in which gas is present at a low pressure
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the degree of exhaustion of gas within an enclosed space
a high vacuum
a perfect vacuum
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a sense or feeling of emptiness
his death left a vacuum in her life
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short for vacuum cleaner
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(modifier) of, containing, measuring, producing, or operated by a low gas pressure
a vacuum tube
a vacuum brake
verb
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A region of space in which there is no matter.
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A region of space having extremely low gas pressure relative to surrounding pressure. The air pump of a vacuum cleaner, for example, drastically reduces the air pressure inside the device, creating a vacuum; the pressure difference causes air to rush into it, carrying dust and debris along with it.
Discover More
In the natural world, air will flow into regions of vacuum, giving rise to the saying “Nature abhors a vacuum.”
The saying is extended informally: in politics, a lack of leadership may be referred to as a vacuum, which will presumably be filled by others rushing in.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has vacuumedperfect 3rd person singular
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have vacuumedperfect
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am vacuumingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been vacuumingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are vacuumingprogressive
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is vacuumingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been vacuumingperfect progressive
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vacuumssingular 3rd person
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vacuumingparticiple
Past
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had vacuumedperfect
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had been vacuumingperfect progressive
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were vacuumingprogressive plural
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was vacuumingprogressive singular
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vacuumedsimple
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vacuumedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of vacuum
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin, neuter of vacuus “empty”
Explanation
A vacuum is essentially a great lack of something — a place where virtually all matter, even air, has been removed. It can describe something that's literally empty — or something that just seems that way, like a political vacuum. You probably have a vacuum at home. A humble household appliance named after a principle of physics, the vacuum is a device for sucking up dirt off the ground. It works by creating a vacuum — that is, it sucks all the air out of a particular place so that the surrounding atmospheric pressure will flood in, taking with it all the nacho chips, dog hair, toast crumbs, and whatever else you have lying around your house.
Vocabulary lists containing vacuum
Oh, My Stars! The Language of Outer Space
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Zilch, Zip, Nada: Words For Nothing
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In that vacuum, it makes sense that some Catholics have begun to invent their own beliefs.
From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026
In the vacuum created by Swalwell’s collapse, his Democratic rivals frenetically cast about for momentum.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
For example, nine vacuum cleaners costing just under £4,000 were bought in the space of four years.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
"What we think is important to highlight is that without waveform models like ours, we could be detecting black hole mergers in dark matter environments, but systematically classifying them as having occurred in vacuum."
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
There is no question that the vacuum has energy; the Casimir force is witness to that fact.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
