power vacuum

American  

[pou-er vak-yoom, -yoo-uhm, -yuhm] / ˈpaʊ ər ˌvæk yum, -yu əm, -yəm /

noun

1. a situation where there is a lack of leadership in a government or organization, often because an existing leader has left or been lost.

   The power vacuum left by the chairman’s sudden departure has created a bitter contest for control.

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Etymology

Origin of power vacuum

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

I spoke with my source in Isfahan and asked about the potential power vacuum.

From Slate • Mar. 3, 2026

The NFL, meanwhile, has been unable to make any headway on headline issues such as expanding the regular season to 18 games because of the power vacuum inside the union.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Corruption and the power vacuum created by civil war in Myanmar have allowed organised crime groups to dramatically expand their scam operations.

From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025

When he died from cancer in July 2016 there was no obvious successor but the power vacuum he left behind was eventually filled by his nephew, Steven "Bonzo" Daniel.

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2025

Ho Chi Minh seized the opportunity to fill the power vacuum left by the Japanese defeat.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin