# vacancy

/ˈveɪkənsi/ (US) · /vˈeɪkənsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vacancy
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. job opening

noun · CEFR B1

a job or position that is available for someone to start.

For teachers: an unoccupied position or post within an organisation that is available to be filled.

- The company has a vacancy for a junior designer in the marketing department.
- Following the sudden resignation of the chief financial officer, the board moved quickly to advertise the vacancy in several international journals.

### 2. available room

noun · CEFR B1

a room in a hotel or guest house that is not being used.

For teachers: available accommodation in a hotel, boarding house, or similar establishment.

- We were lucky to find a hotel with a vacancy so late at night.
- The neon sign outside the motel flickered, switching from 'No Vacancy' to 'Vacancy' as the last-minute cancellation was processed.

### 3. empty space

noun · CEFR B2

an empty area or a gap where something is missing.

For teachers: an unoccupied or empty space; a void within a larger structure.

- He stared into the vacancy of the abandoned warehouse.
- The architect utilised the vacancy between the two buildings to create a sunlit atrium that served as a communal garden.

### 4. lack of thought

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a state where someone is not thinking about anything or looks empty-headed.

For teachers: a state of being empty-headed or having a lack of mental concentration or intelligence.

- There was a strange vacancy in his eyes as he stared at the wall.
- The critic noted a certain vacancy in the actor's performance, suggesting a lack of emotional depth behind the polished exterior.

### 5. crystal defect

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a tiny hole in a crystal where an atom should be but is missing.

For teachers: a point defect in a crystal lattice where an atom is missing from its regular position.

- The scientist studied how a single vacancy in the metal could change its strength.
- At high temperatures, the concentration of vacancies within the crystalline structure increases, significantly affecting the material's diffusion rate.

Usage: Often used in the plural when discussing material properties.

## Examples

- The hotel has a vacancy for tonight.
- The company currently has a vacancy for a senior accountant in the finance department.
- Despite the high unemployment rate, the firm struggled to fill the technical vacancy due to a lack of candidates with the necessary specialized certifications.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.