occupational
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to an occupation, trade, or calling.
occupational guidance.
-
of or relating to occupation.
occupational troops.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of occupational
First recorded in 1840–50; occupation + -al 1
Explanation
If it has anything to do with your job, your work or your career, then you can describe it as occupational. Take the "al" off of occupational and you're left with occupation. So this adjective describes anything related to your occupation — you know, the professional work that keeps you occupied. You might hear people talk about "occupational hazards" — which can range from paper cuts to falling trees, depending on if you make a living filing or lumber-jacking.
Vocabulary lists containing occupational
Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 4
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"The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But said there would be "exemptions for legitimate reasons, including religious, cultural, medical, occupational, weather or personal safety reasons".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
"The company and the relevant authorities must protect workers' right to health when it comes to occupational diseases in the semiconductor industry," Kim said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
Federal Aviation Administration found that even relatively small leaks can release levels of neurotoxic chemicals that exceed U.S. occupational health exposure limits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Janis Yue, an assistant professor of clinical occupational therapy, said she lost access to a therapist after USC changed its coverage last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Resolving the operational problems of late 1935 introduced a new occupational hazard for the Rad Lab staff: tedium.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
