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.

---

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

---

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.

---

vacuum Cultural  

1. The absence of matter.

---

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

---

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.

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

The infinite energy of the vacuum is a division by zero.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

But to reach extreme vacua the appliances must be much more improved, and ultimate perfection will not be attained until we shall have discharged the mechanical and perfected an electrical vacuum pump.

From The inventions, researches and writings of Nikola Tesla With special reference to his work in polyphase currents and high potential lighting by Thomas Commerford Martin

Now, however, that he had found means for obtaining and maintaining high vacua, Edison immediately went back to carbon, which from the first he had conceived of as the ideal substance for a burner.

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

Sir William Crookes took up in 1872 the study of electric discharge through 192 high vacua, having been led to it by his researches on the radiometer.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 "Ehud" to "Electroscope" by Various

In recording my investigations on the subject of radiant matter and the state of gaseous residues in high vacua under electrical strain, I must refer to certain attacks on the views I have propounded.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 795, March 28, 1891 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

And it somehow vacuums up all the ick and yuck between us, all my mean cockroachy thoughts too.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

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

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Most of the folks worried about this are having all their info vacuumed up by Meta, Alphabet, Apple, etc.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

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

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2024

In a matter of minutes, Davis had vacuumed up most of the bees to save the match.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 15, 2024

They vacuumed, they mopped, they kept after the hair on the bathroom floor.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

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

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

The robots carried out some tasks — such as mopping, vacuuming, wiping and dusting — with surprising skill.

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

“And the mud. I don’t mind vacuuming for you. And, yes, I realize you just scammed me into doing your job. But isn’t it worth it to let the kid be a kid?”

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• gap
• void

---