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
Nothing in the Olympics happens in a vacuum, and Shiffrin’s shocking finish cannot be considered without weighing what happened to her in Beijing four years ago.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Shadow Language doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
But in a vacuum, the filament had another problem.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
None are stories that, in a vacuum, most news outlets would cover.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in a vacuum
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Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Shadow Language doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
—Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
But in a vacuum, the filament had another problem.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
None are stories that, in a vacuum, most news outlets would cover.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 31 Jan. 2026
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 14 Feb. 2026.
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