vacuum

American  

[vak-yoom, -yoo-uhm, -yuhm] / ˈvæk jum, -ju əm, -jəm /

noun

• vacuums,
  plural
• vacua
  plural

1. a space entirely devoid of matter.

2. 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).

3. the state or degree of exhaustion in such an enclosed space.

4. a space not filled or occupied; emptiness; void.

   The loss left a vacuum in his heart.

5. a vacuum cleaner or sweeper.

6. Physics. a state of lowest energy in a quantum field theory.

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adjective

1. of, pertaining to, employing, or producing a vacuum.

2. (of a hollow container) partly exhausted of gas or air.

3. pertaining to a device or process that makes use of a vacuum to accomplish a desired task.

4. 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)

• vacuums,
  present (3rd person singular)
• vacuumed,
  past participle,  past
• vacuuming
  present participle

1. to use a vacuum cleaner on; clean with a vacuum cleaner.

   to vacuum rugs.

2. to treat with any vacuum device, as a vacuum drier.

verb (used without object)

• vacuums,
  present (3rd person singular)
• vacuumed,
  past participle,  past
• vacuuming
  present participle

1. to use a vacuum cleaner.

   to vacuum in the dining room.

vacuum British  

/ ˈvækjʊəm /

noun

1. a region containing no matter; free space Compare plenum

2. a region in which gas is present at a low pressure

3. the degree of exhaustion of gas within an enclosed space

   a high vacuum

   a perfect vacuum

4. a sense or feeling of emptiness

   his death left a vacuum in her life

5. short for vacuum cleaner

6. (modifier) of, containing, measuring, producing, or operated by a low gas pressure

   a vacuum tube

   a vacuum brake

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verb

1. to clean (something) with a vacuum cleaner

   to vacuum a carpet

vacuum Scientific  

/ văk′yo̅o̅m /

• vacuums
  plural

1. A region of space in which there is no matter.

2. 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.

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vacuum Cultural  

1. The absence of matter.

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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

• nonvacuum
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vacua
  plural
• vacuums
  plural

Participles

• vacuuming
  present
• vacuumed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• vacuum
  simple
• vacuums
  simple
• have vacuumed
  perfect
• has vacuumed
  perfect
• am vacuuming
  progressive
• are vacuuming
  progressive
• is vacuuming
  progressive
• have been vacuuming
  perfect progressive
• has been vacuuming
  perfect progressive

Past

• vacuumed
  simple
• had vacuumed
  perfect
• was vacuuming
  progressive
• were vacuuming
  progressive
• had been vacuuming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will vacuum
  simple
• will have vacuumed
  perfect
• will be vacuuming
  progressive
• will have been vacuuming
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of vacuum

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin, neuter of vacuus “empty”

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vacuum vacua vacuums vacuumed vacuuming

"None of these things can be taken in a vacuum," NDP Member of Parliament Heather McPherson told AFP.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

I only write one line because I can’t write in a vacuum.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

You don’t want to retire if you’re worried about your long-term financial certainty, but you don’t want to retire into a vacuum, either.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

In a vacuum, Bronson’s “Death Wish” vigilante was just as unlikeable.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

Every time we move a chair to look underneath, I lift the vacuum nozzle and say, “I’m going in.”

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

The study of apparatus for obtaining more perfect vacua was unceasingly carried on, for Edison realized that in this there lay a potent factor of ultimate success.

From Edison, His Life and Inventions by Frank Lewis Dyer

Beyond the worlds vague ghosts of monstrous things; half-seen columns of unsanctified temples that rest on nameless rocks beneath space and reach up to dizzy vacua above the spheres of light and darkness.

From Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922 by H. P. (Howard Phillips) Lovecraft

There was the extremely important project for securing and sealing in really good vacua in various electronic devices brought up by Joe and his crew in the supply ship.

From Space Tug by Murray Leinster

Very high vacua can be obtained with the Leblanc pump, but the power required to drive it is more than is required with a 3-throw piston-pump.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 1 A to Amide by Various

In the July number of this Journal for 1880, I gave a short account of certain changes in the Sprengel-pump by means of which far better vacua could be obtained than had been previously possible.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 303, October 22, 1881 by Various

On Thursday, workers in rubber pants roamed the water with vacuums that sucked up the algae in neat rows.

From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2026

Superconducting circuits use metals cooled to near absolute zero; trapped ions are suspended in vacuums and manipulated by lasers.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

As days passed, traders who bet on the deal worried the tip might be bad because Amazon didn’t announce a purchase of the maker of robot vacuums.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026

Lithium-ion batteries have become exceedingly common amid a proliferation of chargeable electronics, including smartphones, laptops, headphones, e-cigarettes, vacuums and e-bikes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026

Alma’s mother begins to whistle as she vacuums right beside where his face is resting, and then she turns off the vacuum with her foot.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

Later, it encountered a stray charging cord snaking across the ground as it vacuumed.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

A self-professed cleaning fanatic, she said she asked for a vacuum as a 16th birthday present and relishes the plush nap of a freshly vacuumed Porsche carpet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Before “The Studio” vacuumed up 23 Emmy nominations, setting a record for a first-year show, I thought Short might have a shot at winning his first acting Emmy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025

If it seems like many of the same series vacuumed up most of the nominations, this is partly why.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2024

The builder sort of vacuumed up his coffee so it didn't burn his lips.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

For example, vacuuming an empty hallway is a simple task that can be automated with relatively little data.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

I left annoyed by the overall movie, yet haunted by a half-dozen of its images: Andie vacuuming the decoy house before the next shoot, a woman in the workplace handling an overlooked job.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Google, OpenAI, and other AI companies are vacuuming up corporate data from both large public companies and small enterprises.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

What they could’ve done instead: Opt for lighter colors that are more forgiving, or get used to sweeping or vacuuming your floors more often.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

A woman in an emerald-green housecoat and heels, vacuuming her goldenrod carpet, the colors so saturated they seemed to bleed.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

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