vacuum
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A region that is devoid of matter.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
vakyoomSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈvækjum
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A region that is devoid of matter
The condition of rarefaction, or reduction of pressure below that of the atmosphere, in a vessel, such as the condenser of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.
The absence of matter
An emptiness in life created by a loss of a person who was close, or of an occupation.
A region of space that contains no matter.
colloquialonly pluralized as "vacuums"
A device that uses suction, and often agitation, in order to remove dirt and other debris from carpets and hard floors.
verb
transitive
To clean (something) with a vacuum cleaner.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A region that is devoid of matter
Used this way, vacuum is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use vacuum
- “I need to vacuum the carpets before our guests arrive.”
Share your sentence
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “vacuum” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.