occupied

American  

[ok-yuh-pahyd] / ˈɒk yəˌpaɪd /

adjective

1. lived in.

   Now that he is no longer a member of the legislature, he and his family must move out of the occupied premises within 30 days.

2. (of space, time, etc.) taken or filled up.

   Have you ever walked into a public restroom and mistakenly opened an occupied stall?

3. taken possession of and controlled by a hostile military force.

   After Germany invaded in 1914, the Belgian Commission for Relief ensured that Belgians living in the occupied region did not starve.

4. employed or engaged, as one’s attention, energy, etc.; busy.

   He is often bored at home, not receiving much attention or affection from his occupied parents.

5. (of a position, office, etc.) held.

   The amount of the salary markup for working under extraordinary conditions depends on the occupied position.

6. Sometimes Occupied (of a place) taken possession of and controlled by demonstrators who see it as symbolic of a social or political issue.

   People stopped outside the occupied library to show their support for those inside, who were protesting cuts to public services.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of occupy.

Other Word Forms

• overoccupied adjective
• self-occupied adjective
• underoccupied adjective
• well-occupied adjective

Etymology

Origin of occupied

occupy ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Something that's occupied is being used or is unavailable. If the sign on the restroom door says occupied, it means there's someone in there and you're just going to have to wait. If every seat on the subway is occupied, you'll have to stand, and if the apartment you were hoping to rent is occupied, you'll have to start your search all over again. When you're busy with work, you're occupied — you're engaged, or distracted by it. And when a country is occupied, it's been invaded and taken over by a foreign power — this last meaning was first used during World War II, referring to German-occupied France.

Example Sentences

For Lucy, the incident has occupied her every waking thought since.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

While not doubting his capabilities and dedication, some have questioned Velasco’s relative lack of experience in a prestige post traditionally occupied by party notables with decades of public service.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

The base, Bluie East Two, was built in 1942 as part of a network of 17 U.S. bases constructed across Greenland during World War II, partly to prevent Nazi Germany—which occupied Denmark—from taking the island.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

The juxtaposition of career- and kid-related decor was an intentional choice Farr made to reflect the phase of life she was in for much of the time she occupied the home.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

A list of names and their donation amount occupied the right-hand side of the screen.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

Related Words

• engaged
• peopled
• populated
• settled