as in interests
to hold the attention of
a puzzle will occupy that child for hours
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Recent Examples of occupies
The bar occupies 1,500 square feet along the street-facing side of the property with a storefront like other retail businesses in the area.
—
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
The Lake Sandy Jo site occupies 50 acres in Gary’s Black Oak neighborhood, according to Post-Tribune archives.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Pictures From Home occupies an uneasy middle ground, functioning as a clear-eyed documentary and a deeply personal reckoning.
—Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026
Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
The store occupies the historic Lady Adams Building and Howard House, buildings originally built in the mid-1860s.
—Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Two intimate bedrooms off the kitchen share a sleek hall bath, while the primary suite occupies the far end of the apartment.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2026
Politics consequently occupies much of the space for leftists that is usually taken up by family, religion, career and community for conservatives.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
The Lake Sandy Jo site occupies 50 acres in Gary’s Black Oak neighborhood, according to Post-Tribune archives.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
Pictures From Home occupies an uneasy middle ground, functioning as a clear-eyed documentary and a deeply personal reckoning.
—Vanity Fair, 26 Mar. 2026
Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
The store occupies the historic Lady Adams Building and Howard House, buildings originally built in the mid-1860s.
—Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Two intimate bedrooms off the kitchen share a sleek hall bath, while the primary suite occupies the far end of the apartment.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2026
Politics consequently occupies much of the space for leftists that is usually taken up by family, religion, career and community for conservatives.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupies
Verb
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And along with gender and empowerment, there’s also something about having bright colors and a lot of grief on stage that interests me.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Supreme Court only grants review to about 1% of petitions, but one scenario where the odds are higher involves federal circuit splits—especially when the number of people impacted is considerable and when the legal question interests the justices.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Junior Artists Program for those 9-13 immerses campers in art under the guidance of professional artist-instructors.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
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For most first-time Hawaii visitors, a luau dinner show is a must — an unforgettable vacation highlight that fully immerses you in the rhythms of aloha culture.—
Ben Davidson,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Founder of polling analysis site FiveThirtyEight, he is often cited by publications and media outlets for his current work, which involves publishing his own analysis via his Substack newsletter, Silver Bulletin.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The 2022 class size law gave the city until the 2027-28 school year for all classrooms to comply with the costly mandate, which involves hiring of new teachers and adding physical space.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hopefully, there’s a spot that intrigues you.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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The menu has a lot of delicious choices, but the one that intrigues my girlfriend is their overnight oat bowl.—
C.W. Cameron,
AJC.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Each, in different ways, fascinates me.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
That singular point of view fascinates me.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The contest’s grand final is a defining event on the LGBTQ+ calendar and attracts interest across the continent, showcasing some of Europe’s most talented, eccentric and varied performers.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2026
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Sunbeds and towels jostle for space like life-size Tetris pieces on the volcanic slate-gray sands of Lemesos's Dasoudi beach; farther along the coast, Malindi, a beach bar and restaurant, attracts a lunchtime crowd that lingers long after the sun has set.—
Selina Denman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While the former tracks profits and expectations, the latter busies itself with tangible stuff, from jobs and wages to GDP.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
24 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, while Miranda busies herself with building a pageant empire, her husband Ray, a pill-popping nurse, has knocked up the 18-year-old granddaughter of one of his hospice patients.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, the exhibition engages broader cultural and historical contexts.—
Olga Garcia-Mayoral,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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That’s the moment that Congress always engages.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occupies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupies. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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