occupancy

American  

[ok-yuh-puhn-see] / ˈɒk yə pən si /

noun

plural

occupancies

1. the act, state, or condition of being or becoming a tenant or of living in or taking up quarters or space in or on something.

   Continued occupancy of the office depends on a rent reduction.

   Synonyms:

   possession, occupation, tenancy

2. the possession or tenancy of a property.

   You can have occupancy on June 1st.

3. the act of taking possession, as of a property.

4. the term during which one is an occupant.

5. the condition of being occupied.

   Occupancy of the auditorium is limited to 1200 people.

6. the use to which property is put.

7. exercise of dominion over property that has no owner so as to become the legal owner.

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occupancy British  

/ ˈɒkjʊpənsɪ /

noun

1. the act of occupying; possession of a property

2. law the possession and use of property by or without agreement and without any claim to ownership

3. law the act of taking possession of unowned property, esp land, with the intent of thus acquiring ownership

4. the condition or fact of being an occupant, esp a tenant

5. the period of time during which one is an occupant, esp of property

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Other Word Forms

• unoccupancy
  noun

Etymology

Origin of occupancy

First recorded in 1590–1600; occup(ant) + -ancy

Explanation

Occupancy is the act of owning, renting, or taking possession of a building. When you and your family move into a new house, you are taking occupancy of that home. You're probably most familiar with the word occupancy from signs in auditoriums and concert halls that state the room's "maximum occupancy." A maximum occupancy of 100 means only 100 people can safely fit inside that room at one time. A single-occupancy hotel room is meant for one person. The opposite of occupancy is vacancy––when no one is in possession. Hotels let you know when they have a vacancy by flashing a sign.

Example Sentences

“However, these documents also offer flexibility, allowing you to cease occupancy or sell the home before the 12-month period if you have a valid reason that your lender approves.”

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

In L.A., the transient occupancy tax — sometimes called a bed or hotel tax — is currently 14% of the price of hotel stays and short-term rentals under 30 days.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Airlines were able to do this by increasing seat occupancy by 3.1 points to 83.6 percent.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

Many promising schools never open—not because of weak demand or unappealing curricula, but because zoning codes and occupancy classifications were written for campuses with hundreds of students.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

That would come in three more years, when the camp’s occupancy maxed out.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Related Words

• ownership