to live or reside in a place, to fill or take up a space or time, to engage or involve oneself in an activity or interest

occupy the moral high ground, occupy oneself with something, occupy a place in someone's heart

occupy one's mind, military occupation, occupy a position

Formal and Informal Expressions of occupy

In different contexts, you can replace 'occupy' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'reside, inhabit, consume' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'live in, take up, be into' is a commonplace synonym.

occupy: Explore its Definition & Usage

occupy Definition

1to live or reside in a place
2to fill or take up a space or time
3to engage or involve oneself in an activity or interest

Using occupy: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "occupy" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The family occupies the entire house.
Example
The protesters occupied the park for several weeks.
Example
This project will occupy most of my time.
Example
He occupies himself with gardening on weekends.

occupy Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for occupy

Antonyms for occupy

Idioms Using occupy

occupy the moral high ground
to claim or act as if one's position is morally superior to others
Example
The politician tried to occupy the moral high ground by criticizing his opponent's past actions.
occupy oneself with something
to keep oneself busy or engaged with a particular activity or interest
Example
She occupied herself with painting during her free time.
occupy a place in someone's heart
to be loved or cherished by someone
Example
Her late husband will always occupy a special place in her heart.

Phrases with occupy

occupy one's mind
to preoccupy or consume one's thoughts or attention
Example
The upcoming exam was occupying his mind, making it hard to focus on anything else.
military occupation
the control and governance of a territory by a foreign military power
Example
The country was under military occupation for several years after the war.
occupy a position
to hold or have a particular job or role
Example
She occupies a high-ranking position in the company.

Origins of occupy

from Old French 'occuper', from Latin 'occupare', meaning 'seize'

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Summary: occupy in Brief

The verb 'occupy' [ˈɑːkjupaɪ] means to live or reside in a place, fill or take up a space or time, or engage oneself in an activity or interest. It can refer to physical or mental presence, such as 'The family occupies the entire house' or 'The upcoming exam was occupying his mind.' The phrase 'occupy oneself with something' denotes keeping oneself busy or engaged, while 'occupy a place in someone's heart' refers to being loved or cherished.