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
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 4
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Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish
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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.
"Ultimately, the purpose of an adjustment is to facilitate good performance, not to lower the standard of performance," says Prof Nancy Doyle, an occupational psychologist.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Lillard was in physical therapy, occupational therapy and water therapy, trying to retain as much strength as she could, ultimately regaining partial use of her left arm and use of her legs.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
"This raised concerns about occupational risk for farm workers. Also, there is a habit of feeding raw milk to domestic pets, like cats, and there have been instances of cats dying, which we studied previously."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026
A 2024 study led by MIT economist David Autor estimates that about 6 in 10 jobs Americans hold today are in occupational specialties that didn’t exist in 1940.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
“Sorry, occupational hazard. But seriously, how did it feel to be hidden there and have her look for you?”
From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon
Definitions 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.
