occupy

[ok-yuh-pahy]

verb (used with object)

occupied, occupying 

1. to take or fill up (space, time, etc.).

   I occupied my evenings reading novels.

2. to engage or employ the mind, energy, or attention of.

   Occupy the children with a game while I prepare dinner.

   Synonyms: busy, use

3. to be a resident or tenant of; dwell in.

   We occupied the same house for 20 years.

4. to hold (a position, office, etc.).

5. to take possession and control of (a place), as by military invasion.

   Synonyms: seize, capture

6. Usually Occupy to participate in a protest about (a social or political issue), as by taking possession or control of buildings or public places that are symbolic of the issue.

   Let’s Occupy our voting rights!

   The Occupy Wall Street movement of late 2011 was a protest against economic inequality.

verb (used without object)

occupied, occupying 

1. to take or hold possession.

2. Usually Occupy to participate in a protest about a social or political issue.

adjective

1. Usually Occupy of or relating to a protest about a social or political issue, as in Occupy movement, Occupy protest, and Occupy candidate:

   the Occupy movement for social justice.

occupy

/ ˈɒkjʊˌpaɪ /

verb

1. to live or be established in (a house, flat, office, etc)

2. (often passive) to keep (a person) busy or engrossed; engage the attention of

3. (often passive) to take up (a certain amount of time or space)

4. to take and hold possession of, esp as a demonstration

   students occupied the college buildings

5. to fill or hold (a position or rank)

Other Word Forms

• occupiable adjective
• occupier noun
• misoccupy verb
• reoccupy verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of occupy¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English occupien, from Middle French occuper, from Latin occupāre “to seize, take hold, take up, make one's own,” equivalent to oc- oc- + -cup-, combining form of capere “to take, seize” + -āre infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of occupy¹

C14: from Old French occuper, from Latin occupāre to seize hold of, from ob- (intensive) + capere to take

Synonym Study

See have.

Example Sentences

Russian forces have occupied most of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, including Luhansk and Donetsk, since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

From BBC

It will also enter into a phased withdrawal of the Gaza Strip and will not occupy or annex the enclave.

From Los Angeles Times

After marching calmly past that and through the centre of the capital, a section of the crowd briefly occupied part of the motorway around Rome.

From BBC

There was the defensive switch to shortstop, which occupied much of his focus as he learned a new position on the go.

From Los Angeles Times

In both months, there was about 69% occupancy when shelters reporting zero occupied beds were included.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cover 
• establish 
• fill 
• hold 
• inhabit 
• involve 
• keep 
• maintain 
• own 
• populate 
• remain 
• sit 
• stay