vacuum

6 synonyms and 1 antonym for vacuum, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A space that is completely empty of matter, including air.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

void hoover vacancy

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

emptiness nothingness vacuity

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A space that is completely empty of matter, including air.

“Scientists created a vacuum inside the glass chamber to test the experiment.”

void emptiness nothingness hoover vacuity vacancy

Opposites

substance

2. verb

To clean a surface using a vacuum cleaner.

“I always vacuum the stairs on Saturday mornings.”

hoover

How to use vacuum

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

vacuum the carpet a vacuum cleaner power vacuum (figurative)

Etymology

From Latin vacuum, "empty space," from vacuus ("empty"). The cleaning sense comes from the suction action of a vacuum cleaner, which mimics pulling air (and dirt) into an empty space.

Full origin of vacuum →

Frequently asked questions

What does “vacuum” mean?

The word “vacuum” means a space that is completely empty of matter, including air. In plain terms, either total emptiness (no air at all) or the act of cleaning with a vacuum cleaner.

How do you pronounce “vacuum”?

“Vacuum” is pronounced VA-kyoom (/ˈvæ.kjuːm/ in IPA).

How do you use “vacuum” in a sentence?

Here is “vacuum” used in a sentence: “Sound cannot travel through a vacuum.”

What part of speech is “vacuum”?

Depending on how it is used, “vacuum” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “vacuum” come from?

The word “vacuum” comes from Latin. From Latin vacuum, "empty space," from vacuus ("empty"). The cleaning sense comes from the suction action of a vacuum cleaner, which mimics pulling air (and dirt) into an empty space.

Is “vacuum” a common word?

“Vacuum” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “vacuum” have?

“Vacuum” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a space that is completely empty of matter, including air.

Is it vacuum or vaccum?

The correct spelling is vacuum: one c and a double u. Misspellings like "vaccum" and "vacume" are common because the letter sequence "uu" is rare in English — vacuum is one of the few everyday English words that contains it.

What is the plural of vacuum?

Vacuums is the standard plural in everyday use, for both the cleaning appliances and empty spaces. The Latin plural vacua survives mainly in technical and scientific writing about spaces empty of matter.

Is it vacuum or hoover?

Both are used as verbs meaning to clean with a vacuum cleaner. Vacuum is standard everywhere ("I vacuumed the stairs"), while hoover — from the Hoover brand name — is an informal British alternative that is rarely used in American English.

People also searched

substance void Hoover vacancy emptiness vacuity nothingness

Nearby words

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