Meaning of horror vacui | Babel Free

Definitions

1. The Aristotelian principle that there are no vacuums in nature.
   historical, uncountable
2. The abhorrence of a vacuum; the general tendency to dislike empty space.
   uncountable
3. In particular, the tendency of an artist (or of art) to fill an entire surface with detail, leaving no blank space.
   uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“It is merely the horror vacui of human reason⟳ in general which leads it to recoil when it comes across an idea about which no thought is possible, […]”

“The Where's Wally? series exhibits horror vacui.”

CEFR level