vacancy
noun
va·can·cy
ˈvā-kən(t)-sē 
plural vacancies
1
: a vacant office, post, or tenancy
2
a
: a vacating of an office, post, or piece of property
b
: the time such office or property is vacant
3
: physical or mental inactivity or relaxation : idleness
4
: empty space : void
specifically
: an unoccupied site for an atom or ion in a crystal
5
: the state of being vacant : vacuity
6
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
Both downtown San Jose and downtown Oakland also suffer from brutally high vacancy rates, although not nearly to the grim extent in San Francisco.
—
George Avalos, The Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2024
The rental vacancy rate remains at 6.6%, the highest since the winter of 2021.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 16 Aug. 2024
As of June 30, the most recent figures available, the agency had a vacancy rate of 37%, or 141 unfilled positions, in its enforcement bureau, which oversees workplace inspections.
—Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
Four decades of insufficient construction have driven housing costs to double the national average and shaved the rental vacancy rate to 1.4%, a quarter of the norm across the country.
—Hillary Chura, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for vacancy 
George Avalos, The Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2024
The rental vacancy rate remains at 6.6%, the highest since the winter of 2021.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 16 Aug. 2024
As of June 30, the most recent figures available, the agency had a vacancy rate of 37%, or 141 unfilled positions, in its enforcement bureau, which oversees workplace inspections.
—Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
Four decades of insufficient construction have driven housing costs to double the national average and shaved the rental vacancy rate to 1.4%, a quarter of the norm across the country.
—Hillary Chura, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for vacancy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vacancy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near vacancy
Cite this Entry
“Vacancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacancy. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vacancy
noun
va·can·cy
ˈvā-kən-sē
plural vacancies
1
: something (as an office or hotel room) that is vacant
2
: empty space
3
: the state of being vacant
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