occupy

verb
UK: /ˈɒkjupaɪ/
US: /ˈɑːkjupaɪ/

  1. To fill or use a space, area, or amount of time.

    1. The books occupy a lot of space.
    2. An important meeting will occupy most of my morning, so call later.

  2. To live or stay in a place.

    1. We occupy a small apartment downtown.
    2. The family will occupy the summer house until the end of August.

  3. To take control of a place by military force.

    1. Troops occupy the city after the battle.
    2. Rebel forces occupy strategic locations throughout the countryside to undermine the government.

  4. To keep someone busy or interested.

    1. The children occupy themselves with toys.
    2. Gardening can occupy you for hours and provide a sense of accomplishment.

Synonyms

inhabit capture reside employ fill engage seize
occupy noun

  1. A person who lives in or is taking up space in a building or place.

    1. The building has many occupants.
    2. Building owners must notify all occupants of planned maintenance activities.

  2. Someone involved in a protest where people stay in a place as a form of protest.

    1. The occupy movement gained attention.
    2. Occupy protesters set up tents in the park to raise awareness of social inequality.
occupy adjective

  1. Engaged or busy.

    1. She was kept occupy all day.
    2. Volunteering at the animal shelter kept her occupy during her retirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "occupy" in English means: To fill or use a space, area, or amount of time., To live or stay in a place., To take control of a place by military force., To keep someone busy or interested..

The phonetic transcription of "occupy" is /ˈɒkjupaɪ/ in British English and /ˈɑːkjupaɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "occupy": inhabit, capture, reside, employ, fill, engage, seize.

Example usage of "occupy": "The books occupy a lot of space.". More examples on the page.