occupy
to take or fill up (space, time, etc.): I occupied my evenings reading novels.
to engage or employ the mind, energy, or attention of: Occupy the children with a game while I prepare dinner.
to be a resident or tenant of; dwell in: We occupied the same house for 20 years.
to hold (a position, office, etc.).
to take possession and control of (a place), as by military invasion.
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.
to take or hold possession.
Usually Occupy . to participate in a protest about a social or political issue.
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.
Origin of occupy
1synonym study For occupy
Other words for occupy
Other words from occupy
- oc·cu·pi·a·ble, adjective
- oc·cu·pi·er, noun
- mis·oc·cu·py, verb, mis·oc·cu·pied, mis·oc·cu·py·ing.
- re·oc·cu·py, verb (used with object), re·oc·cu·pied, re·oc·cu·py·ing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use occupy in a sentence
Kinney suggested walking as an activity, both to occupy Carson’s time and to help him lose weight.
A teen with autism lost motivation for his walks to the post office. So strangers are sending cards to his P.O. Box. | Sydney Page | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostAfghan British writer Tahir Shah, inspired by childhood visits to his grandfather’s house in Morocco, uprooted his London family to occupy a crumbling palatial house in Casablanca.
Those properties are typically occupied by weak tenants and haven’t been remodeled in years.
The shopping mall apocalypse continues as two large operators file for bankruptcy | Phil Wahba | November 2, 2020 | FortuneShe says that she was “more depressed” staying at home, isolated from her friends, with nothing to occupy her mind.
‘Revenge porn’ was already commonplace. The pandemic has made things even worse. | Jessica M. Goldstein | October 29, 2020 | Washington PostGoing back to what I said to you earlier about how I hope young women are envisioning themselves in roles that are not currently occupied by women.
Who Does Mina Kimes Think Is the Greatest NFL Player of All Time? | Joshua Eferighe | October 28, 2020 | Ozy
Hmm, who are these people standing in front of the machines at the gym, neither occupying them nor not occupying them?
Once, when occupying a cell in near a phone, I saw the suicide prevention protocols in action.
After Germany surrendered, Bennett was stationed there as part of the Allied occupying force.
Tony Bennett’s Nazi Hunting Past Is Just One Reason He’s the Greatest Living American | Asawin Suebsaeng | September 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThey were close to occupying Mariupol, but they depend on Putin, who demonstrated his political will to stop the war.
But then the conversation turns to the question occupying all minds in Ukraine: Will Putin invade?
In War-Torn Ukraine, Savva Libkin's Delicious Recipes for Survival | Anna Nemtsova | August 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe Belmont house was closed, the still restless Helena occupying a palace in Rome at the moment.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonGwynne led Isabel to a table in a corner by a window, and indicated the company occupying more than half of the long table.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonTell him your name and address, and ask him to conduct you to a good room, naming the length of time you purpose occupying it.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence HartleySuppose a person occupying state land is evicted by the state, must he continue to pay rent?
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman | Albert Sidney BollesUntil this card fever descended upon the town, it was generally regarded as occupying a high place among communities of its size.
Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
British Dictionary definitions for occupy
/ (ˈɒkjʊˌpaɪ) /
to live or be established in (a house, flat, office, etc)
(often passive) to keep (a person) busy or engrossed; engage the attention of
(often passive) to take up (a certain amount of time or space)
to take and hold possession of, esp as a demonstration: students occupied the college buildings
to fill or hold (a position or rank)
Origin of occupy
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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