occupy

[ ok-yuh-pahy ]

verb (used with object)

, oc·cu·pied, oc·cu·py·ing.

1. to take or fill up (space, time, etc.):

   I occupied my evenings reading novels.

2. to engage or employ the mind, energy, or attention of:

   Occupy the children with a game while I prepare dinner.

   Synonyms: busy, use

3. to be a resident or tenant of; dwell in:

   We occupied the same house for 20 years.

4. to hold (a position, office, etc.).
5. to take possession and control of (a place), as by military invasion.

   Synonyms: seize, capture

6. 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.

verb (used without object)

, oc·cu·pied, oc·cu·py·ing.

1. to take or hold possession.
2. Usually Occupy. to participate in a protest about a social or political issue.

adjective

1. 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.

occupy

/ ˈɒkjʊˌpaɪ /

verb

1. to live or be established in (a house, flat, office, etc)
2. often passive to keep (a person) busy or engrossed; engage the attention of
3. often passive to take up (a certain amount of time or space)
4. to take and hold possession of, esp as a demonstration

   students occupied the college buildings

5. to fill or hold (a position or rank)

Other Words From

• oc·cu·pi·a·ble adjective
• oc·cu·pi·er noun
• mis·oc·cu·py verb misoccupied misoccupying
• re·oc·cu·py verb (used with object) reoccupied reoccupying

Word History and Origins

Origin of occupy¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English occupien, from Middle French occuper, from Latin occupāre “to seize, take hold, take up, make one's own,” equivalent to oc- oc- + -cup-, combining form of capere “to take, seize” + -āre infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of occupy¹

C14: from Old French occuper, from Latin occupāre to seize hold of, from ob- (intensive) + capere to take

Synonym Study

See have.

Example Sentences

In Trump’s case, the plan amounts to letting Israel bomb, invade, and occupy—“whatever it takes,” as the president-elect later said.

From Slate

But that’s just one example of how the right wing, which will now occupy a favored perch in the White House, has elevated an amorphous concept of individual freedom over the undeniably real benefits, to millions of people, of robust pubic health imperatives based on communal responsibility.

From Los Angeles Times

Some suggestions for how to occupy your time until results start rolling in:

From Slate

If De León loses, Latinos will occupy just four of the council’s 15 seats — roughly 26% — while Latinos make up about half of L.A.’s population.

From Los Angeles Times

Rochdale Council gave him a "limited licence to occupy" and the option to buy the building.

From BBC

Related Words

• cover
• establish
• fill
• hold
• inhabit
• involve
• keep
• maintain
• own
• populate
• remain
• sit
• stay