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.

Without warning, some 50 strangers had suddenly arrived in vans and were occupying a vacant building on Ocean Avenue the night before Thanksgiving.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026

Dr Marwan Abusada said in a voice note to the BBC on Sunday afternoon that 55,000 displaced people were "occupying each square metre" of Al-Shifa and that it was "overwhelmed" by patients.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2023

Shortly after Mr. Macron’s government survived a no-confidence vote last week, students pushed into the doors of the University of Bordeaux’s 140-year-old human sciences building and declared they were occupying it.

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2023

Thousands of protesters were occupying the entrance to the president’s office for a 10th day on Monday.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 18, 2022

Was it simply that four men were occupying one house?

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers