vacancy

noun

va·can·cy ˈvā-kən(t)-sē

plural vacancies

Synonyms of vacancy

: a vacant office, post, or tenancy

: a vacating of an office, post, or piece of property

: the time such office or property is vacant

: physical or mental inactivity or relaxation : idleness

: empty space : void

specifically : an unoccupied site for an atom or ion in a crystal

: the state of being vacant : vacuity

archaic : an interval of leisure

Examples of vacancy in a Sentence

School administrators are trying to fill vacancies before the beginning of the school year. There were no vacancies at the hotel.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Jeske, who heads the Quantum Sensing Group at Fraunhofer at the research institute, was the the first to come up with a theoretical model for a magnetic-field-sensitive laser system using diamond with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers a decade ago. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026 The White House’s press secretary vacancy won’t necessarily keep the briefing room closed. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026 The remaining vacancy on the Trust opened in August, when former California Supreme Court Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar left the Trust to become Anthropic’s first chief global affairs officer. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026 The Angels now have MLB’s third current managerial vacancy, all in the AL West. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vacancy

Word History

Etymology

vac(ant) + -ancy, in part after Medieval Latin vacantia

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Time Traveler

The first known use of vacancy was in 1598

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

vacance

vacancy

vacancy clause

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Vacancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacancy. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

vacancy

noun

va·can·cy ˈvā-kən-sē

plural vacancies

: something (as an office or hotel room) that is vacant

: empty space

: the state of being vacant

vacancy

noun

Synonyms of vacancy

Examples of vacancy in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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