vacancy

[ vey-kuhn-see ]

noun

, plural va·can·cies.

1. the state of being vacant; emptiness.
2. a vacant, empty, or unoccupied place, as untenanted lodgings or offices:

   This building still has no vacancies.

3. a gap; opening; breach.
4. an unoccupied position or office:

   a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

5. lack of thought or intelligence; vacuity:

   a look of utter vacancy.

6. Crystallography. (in a crystal) an imperfection resulting from an unoccupied lattice position. Compare interstitial ( def 3 ).
7. Archaic. absence of activity; idleness.

vacancy

/ ˈveɪkənsɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being vacant or unoccupied; emptiness
2. an unoccupied post or office

   we have a vacancy in the accounts department

3. an unoccupied room in a boarding house, hotel, etc

   put the "No Vacancies" sign in the window

4. lack of thought or intelligent awareness; inanity

   an expression of vacancy on one's face

5. physics a defect in a crystalline solid caused by the absence of an atom, ion, or molecule from its position in the crystal lattice
6. obsolete.
   idleness or a period spent in idleness

Other Words From

• non·vacan·cy noun plural nonvacancies

Word History and Origins

Origin of vacancy¹

From the Medieval Latin word vacantia, dating back to 1570–80. See vacant, -ancy

Example Sentences

As such, the vacancy caused by Ginsburg’s passing “raises uncertainty across the health care sector,” Fitch analysts say.

From Fortune

Most Americans disagreed with the Republican position, which was that the vacancy should be filled by the winner of the 2016 election.

From Washington Post

Partisan rancor only continues to rise in the country, with a vacancy on the Supreme Court the latest flashpoint after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

From Fortune

Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.

From Ozy

In this emergency installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the crew discusses Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death and how the political fight over the court’s new vacancy might unfold.

From FiveThirtyEight

The Singh departure creates one more vacancy at an already depleted Asia shop inside the Pentagon.

From The Daily Beast

Not that a vacancy or appointments elsewhere in Washington may matter.

From The Daily Beast

And if you want to see it get even worse, just wait until the president selects someone to fill the next Supreme Court vacancy.

From The Daily Beast

But since the vacancy at the spy agency opened up, there are indications he may have had a change of heart.

From The Daily Beast

The Casual Vacancy may be a disappointment, but it is a natural one.

From The Daily Beast

His mind had suspended its operations, whilst his physical eye stared upon vacancy.

From Project Gutenberg

If he fails to qualify or a vacancy occurs, the creditors have an opportunity to make another appointment.

From Project Gutenberg

He said there was a vacancy on the Kingstown Board; and, supposing the seat was offered to me, would I be free to accept it?

From Project Gutenberg

Alarm grew in Garnache's mind, but his face maintained its foolish vacancy, its inane smile.

From Project Gutenberg

The vacancy thus suddenly opened in my life unmanned me like a physical void.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• gap
• job
• vacuum
• void