in a vacuum
idiom
: separated from outside events or influences
The group was operating in a vacuum, cut off from the rest of the world.
The city's riots did not happen in a vacuum. They were caused by recent political events.
Examples of in a vacuum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The United Nations estimates the gangs now control 90 percent of the capital, which edges closer to collapse in a vacuum of international apathy and government infighting.
—
Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2025
In the moment, in a vacuum, trying to give his team the best chance to win the game at hand, this was an entirely defensible move.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2025
In the meantime, Democrats who might have supported parts of the bill in a vacuum instead tried to sort fact from hyperbole, and were set on voting against all of it.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 July 2025
That's not the same as insisting on authorial originality, some imagined notion that students should produce prose entirely on their own, in a vacuum, untouched by outside influence.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for in a vacuum
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2025
In the moment, in a vacuum, trying to give his team the best chance to win the game at hand, this was an entirely defensible move.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2025
In the meantime, Democrats who might have supported parts of the bill in a vacuum instead tried to sort fact from hyperbole, and were set on voting against all of it.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 July 2025
That's not the same as insisting on authorial originality, some imagined notion that students should produce prose entirely on their own, in a vacuum, untouched by outside influence.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for in a vacuum
Cite this Entry
“In a vacuum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20a%20vacuum. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share