spacey: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “spacey” mean?
Feeling or appearing as if one's mind is detached from reality or the immediate surroundings.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Feeling or appearing as if one's mind is detached from reality or the immediate surroundings; dreamy, distracted, or disoriented, often as if under the influence of drugs.
Characteristic of space or having qualities reminiscent of the vastness, emptiness, or otherworldliness of outer space. Can describe music, art, or atmosphere that is ethereal, expansive, or psychedelic.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major difference in meaning or usage. The spelling 'spacy' is a common variant, but 'spacey' is dominant in both regions.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English, likely due to its association with 1960s/70s counterculture and psychedelic rock.
Grammar
How to Use “spacey” in a Sentence
Subject + linking verb + spacey (He seems spacey.)Spacey + noun (spacey sounds)Adverb + spacey (incredibly spacey)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spacey” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- After his meditation, he had a wonderfully spacey feeling.
- The DJ played some really spacey ambient tracks.
American English
- She was too spacey to remember where she parked the car.
- The film has a slow, spacey opening sequence.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Potentially negative in performance reviews ('His spacey demeanour in meetings is concerning').
Academic
Very rare, except in informal speech or writing about music/culture.
Everyday
Common in informal descriptions of a person's temporary mental state ('Sorry, I'm a bit spacey today—didn't sleep well').
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spacey”
- Using it to describe a large room (use 'spacious').
- Spelling as 'spacy' (acceptable variant, but less common).
- Using in formal writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. While it often implies inattentiveness, it can be neutral or positive in creative contexts, suggesting an open, dreamy, or imaginative state.
They are near synonyms. 'Spaced out' is often stronger, implying a more pronounced detachment, and is more explicitly linked to drug use. 'Spacey' can be milder and more general.
It can describe things that create a feeling of spaciousness, detachment, or otherworldliness, such as music, art, atmospheres, or effects (e.g., 'spacey synthesizer sounds').
Yes, 'spacy' is a recognized variant, but 'spacey' is the more common and preferred spelling in modern dictionaries.
Feeling or appearing as if one's mind is detached from reality or the immediate surroundings.
Spacey is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Spacey: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspeɪsi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspeɪsi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be off in one's own little world (similar meaning)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of an astronaut (in SPACE) floating detached from their spacecraft, not paying attention to details. That astronaut is SPACEY.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MIND IS A LOCATION (distant, far away in space). ATTENTION IS PROXIMITY (not close/here).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'spacey' LEAST appropriate?