vacancy
B2Neutral to formal; common in business, property, and official contexts.
Definition
Meaning
An unoccupied position or job available to be filled.
1. A room or building available for short-term rent (e.g., hotel room). 2. An empty space or gap. 3. A state of being unoccupied or vacant (e.g., vacancy of expression).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to availability (of job, room) rather than just emptiness. 'Vacancy' implies readiness to be filled, whereas 'emptiness' is purely descriptive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK property contexts, 'vacancy' often refers to an empty property available for long-term let; in US, it more commonly refers to hotel room availability. 'No vacancies' sign is universal for hotels.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. UK may slightly more associate with job adverts; US with hotel/temporary lodging.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both varieties, with near-identical core usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
There is a vacancy for + [role] (e.g., There is a vacancy for a manager).A vacancy in/at + [place/organisation] (e.g., a vacancy in the department).To have a vacancy (e.g., Do you have any vacancies?).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Nature abhors a vacuum/vacancy (philosophical variant).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers primarily to unfilled job positions. 'The HR department is reviewing applications for the marketing vacancy.'
Academic
Used in urban studies (vacancy rates in housing), economics (labour market vacancies), and psychology (mental vacancy).
Everyday
Common when discussing job hunting or looking for a hotel room. 'I'm checking if there's a vacancy at the beachfront hotel.'
Technical
In crystallography: a lattice vacancy (a missing atom). In property law: a vacant possession.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The position was vacated, creating a new vacancy.
American English
- The role was vacated, resulting in a vacancy.
adverb
British English
- The seat was sitting vacantly, indicating a vacancy.
American English
- The office remained vacantly, a clear vacancy.
adjective
British English
- The vacant post was advertised as a 'vacancy'.
American English
- The vacant position was listed as a 'vacancy'.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The hotel sign said 'No vacancy'.
- Is there a vacancy for a waiter?
- They advertised the vacancy in the local newspaper.
- We have a vacancy in our sales team starting next month.
- The high vacancy rate in the city centre reflects the economic downturn.
- She applied for the senior management vacancy despite strong competition.
- The board is seeking to fill the vacancy left by the retiring chair with an external candidate.
- A lattice vacancy can significantly alter the conductive properties of the material.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a VACuum Cleaner (VAC-ancy) sucking up an old employee, leaving a clean, empty space (a vacancy) to be filled.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER IS EMPTY (The company/position is a container that is currently empty and needs filling).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'вакансия' (vakansiya), which is a direct borrowing but is used exclusively for job openings. English 'vacancy' has broader meanings (hotel room, empty space).
- Avoid literal translation of 'vacancy of mind' as 'вакансия ума' – use 'пустота' or 'отсутствие мыслей' instead.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'vacancy' as a countable noun incorrectly: 'There is vacancy' (incorrect) vs. 'There is a vacancy' (correct).
- Confusing 'vacancy' (availability) with 'vacation' (holiday).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'vacancy' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Vacancy' refers to an empty position, room, or space. 'Vacation' (US) or 'holiday' (UK) refers to a period of leisure away from work. They are false friends.
Yes. Its primary meanings are 1) an available job, and 2) an available room (especially in a hotel). It can also mean an empty space or a blankness in expression.
It is a countable noun. You must use an article or pluralise it: 'a vacancy', 'several vacancies'. 'There is vacancy' is incorrect.
It means the hotel has no rooms available for rent; it is fully booked.