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⇱ vacuum - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

vacuum

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈvækjʊəm/, /ˈvækjʊm/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈvækjum, -jəm/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(vak′yo̅o̅m, -yo̅o̅ əm, -yəm)


Inflections of 'vacuum' (n):
vacuums
npl
vacua
npl (Rare)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
vac•u•um /ˈvækyum, -yəm/USA pronunciation   n., pl. -u•ums for 1. 2. 4. 5. -u•a /-yuə/USA pronunciation  for 1. 2. 4.;
adj.;
 v. 
n. [countable]
  1. Physicsa space entirely empty of matter.
  2. Physicsan enclosed space from which matter, esp. air, has been partially removed so that the matter or gas remaining in the space exerts less pressure than the atmosphere.
  3. a space not filled or occupied;
    emptiness;
    void:The loss of his son left a vacuum in his life.
  4. vacuum cleaner.

adj. 
  1. Physicsof or relating to a vacuum.

v. 
  1. to clean with a vacuum cleaner: [~ + object]to vacuum the rug.[no object]I vacuum on Fridays.
See -vac-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
vac•u•um  (vak′yo̅o̅m, -yo̅o̅ əm, -yəm),USA pronunciation n., pl. vac•u•ums for 1, 2, 4–6, vac•u•a (vak′yo̅o̅ ə)USA pronunciation for 1, 2, 4, 6;
adj.;
  v.
n. 
  1. Physicsa space entirely devoid of matter.
  2. Physicsan enclosed space from which matter, esp. air, has been partially removed so that the matter or gas remaining in the space exerts less pressure than the atmosphere (opposed to plenum).
  3. Physicsthe state or degree of exhaustion in such an enclosed space.
  4. a space not filled or occupied;
    emptiness;
    void:The loss left a vacuum in his heart.
  5. a vacuum cleaner or sweeper.
  6. Physicsa state of lowest energy in a quantum field theory.

adj. 
  1. of, pertaining to, employing, or producing a vacuum.
  2. (of a hollow container) partly exhausted of gas or air.
  3. pertaining to a device or process that makes use of a vacuum to accomplish a desired task.
  4. noting or pertaining to canning or packaging in which air is removed from the container to prevent deterioration of the contents.

v.t. 
  1. to use a vacuum cleaner on;
    clean with a vacuum cleaner:to vacuum rugs.
  2. to treat with any vacuum device, as a vacuum drier.

v.i. 
  1. to use a vacuum cleaner:to vacuum in the dining room.
  • Latin, neuter of vacuus empty
  • 1540–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
vacuum /ˈvækjʊəm/ n ( pl vacuums, vacua /ˈvækjʊə/)
  1. a region containing no matter; free space
    Compare plenum
  2. a region in which gas is present at a low pressure
  3. the degree of exhaustion of gas within an enclosed space: a high vacuum, a perfect vacuum
  4. a sense or feeling of emptiness: her departure left a vacuum in my life
  5. short for vacuum cleaner
  6. (modifier) of, containing, measuring, producing, or operated by a low gas pressure: a vacuum tube, a vacuum brake
 vb
  1. to clean (something) with a vacuum cleaner: to vacuum a carpet
Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin: an empty space, from vacuus empty
'vacuum' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: use a vacuum cleaner, is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, replace the vacuum bag, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "vacuum" in the title:

A vacuum of information
A <void><vacuum> left by/behind something
Break the vacuum
call the fields reached their vacuum state, except maybe one
do the vacuuming/ do the vacuum cleaning
fill a vacuum of indifference from that quarter
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get the vacuum to bang into them
He'd never so much as held a vacuum cleaner
His hospitalization risks <creating> a leadership vacuum
Home was a vacuum
hoover vs vacuum
hoover/vacuum
In a vacuum
in a vacuum
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it seemed nature did indeed abhor a vacuum
like a man trying to find a clean vacuum bag
lunglike vacuum bags
Nature abhors a vacuum / emptiness
outer space is vacuum
run a vacuum
run the vacuum
security vacuum
She eats like a vacuum cleaner
She gained knowledge <of>, and experience in the design of: vacuum cleaners ...
silent vacuum
stand a good vacuum
step into the vacuum
The vacuum bag is hot today!
more...

Look up "vacuum" at Merriam-Webster
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