occupy

UK: /ˈɒkjʊpaɪ/ US: /ˈɑkjəˌpaɪ/ ,(ok′yə pī′)

Inflections of 'occupy' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

occupies

v 3rd person singular

occupying

v pres p

occupied

v past

occupied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

oc•cu•py /ˈɑkyəˌpaɪ/   v. [~ + object] , -pied, -py•ing. 

1. to have, hold, or take as a separate space:
   The orchard occupies half the farm.
2. to be a resident or tenant of:
   Our company occupied the three top floors of that building.
3. to fill up with some activity;
   spend:
   to occupy time reading.
4. to get the interest or attention of;
   involve:
   We occupied the children with a game.
5. to take possession and control of (a place), such as by military invasion:
   The enemy forces occupied the town.
6. to hold (a position, office, etc.):
   He occupies the key position of advisor to the president.

See -cep-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

oc•cu•py  (ok′yə pī′), v., -pied, -py•ing. 
v.t. 

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.
3. to be a resident or tenant of;
   dwell in:
   We occupied the same house for 20 years.
4. to take possession and control of (a place), as by military invasion.
5. to hold (a position, office, etc.).

v.i. 

6. to take or hold possession.

• 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
• Middle French occuper
• Middle English occupien 1300–50

oc′cu•pi′a•ble, adj. 
oc′cu•pi′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2.
• 4, 5. See have. 
• 2. use, busy.
• 4. capture, seize.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

occupy / ˈɒkjʊˌpaɪ/ verb ( -pies, -pying, -pied)(transitive)

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)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French occuper, from Latin occupāre to seize hold of, from ob- (intensive) + capere to take