occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt 

1

: one who acquires title by occupancy

2

: one who occupies a particular place

especially : resident

Synonyms of occupant

• inhabitant
• resident
• tenant
• resider

Examples of occupant in a Sentence

The apartment's previous occupant was a painter.

Both of the car's occupants were injured.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to previous reporting by this news organization, people leaving tiny homes in Alameda County moved into housing at similar rates between 2019 and 2022, while Santa Clara County tiny homes helped move 43% of occupants to housing. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

The panic from the occupants struggling to grab floatation devices helped spur aviation-safety reforms, including mandatory preflight passenger briefings and improvements involving flotation equipment. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026

The result is a cabin designed to reduce both visual and acoustic distractions, allowing occupants to focus on the journey rather than the technology surrounding them. — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Waves of immigrants from French Canada, Ireland and Albania arrived in Biddeford to work in lumber mills and massive red-brick textile factories – now with new occupants – that line the Saco River, defining the town’s landscape. — Cindy Carcamo, Christian Science Monitor, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French, from present participle of occuper "to occupy"

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈäk-yə-pənt 

: a person who occupies something

especially : resident entry 2 sense 1

Legal Definition

occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt 

1

: one who occupies a particular place

an occupant of the car

the occupant of the apartment

2

: one who acquires title by occupancy