# vacuum

/ˈvækjum/ (US) · /vˈækjuːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vacuum
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. empty space

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a space that is completely empty and contains no air or matter.

For teachers: a region of space that contains no matter; in practical terms, a volume from which most air has been removed.

- Sound cannot travel through a vacuum because there is no air to carry the vibrations.
- The experiment was conducted within a high-grade vacuum to ensure that atmospheric particles did not interfere with the sensitive laser measurements.

### 2. cleaning machine

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a machine that cleans floors by sucking up dust and dirt.

For teachers: a household appliance used for removing debris from floors and upholstery via suction.

- I need to empty the vacuum because it is full of pet hair.
- The new cordless vacuum features a high-efficiency filter designed to capture even the smallest allergens from the carpet fibers.

### 3. emotional emptiness

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a feeling of emptiness in your life after losing someone or something important.

For teachers: a metaphorical state of emptiness or isolation resulting from a significant loss or absence.

- The retirement of the CEO left a vacuum in the company's leadership.
- After her partner passed away, she struggled to fill the emotional vacuum that had suddenly opened in her daily life.

### 4. to clean with a machine

verb · CEFR B1

to clean a floor or carpet using a vacuum cleaner.

For teachers: to use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt from a surface; functions both transitively and intransitively.

- Could you vacuum the living room before the guests arrive?
- He spent the entire Saturday morning vacuuming the upstairs bedrooms and polishing the wooden floors in the hallway.

### 5. database maintenance

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to clean up a computer database by removing old or deleted information.

For teachers: to optimize a database by physically removing deleted records and reclaiming storage space.

- The system administrator scheduled the database to vacuum every night at midnight.
- Regularly vacuuming the tables is essential for maintaining query performance in high-traffic PostgreSQL environments.

## Examples

- Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.
- The scientist created a vacuum inside the glass chamber to observe how the feathers fell without air resistance.
- Political theorists argue that no policy decision is made in a vacuum; rather, every choice is shaped by the historical and social pressures of its time.

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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.