as in to interest
to hold the attention of
a puzzle will occupy that child for hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of occupy
California must pursue any and all options to keep ICE or federal troops from occupying our state and harassing our communities, especially with racially targeted and unconstitutional tactics.
—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Nearby was a building first occupied by Henry Perry’s barbecue business.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 4 May 2026
The building is now fully occupied by Sand Law and the company’s 35 employees on its top three floors, and the company expects to keep growing.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
The property occupies a lot of 6,210 square feet.
—Bay Area Home Report, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for occupy
Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Nearby was a building first occupied by Henry Perry’s barbecue business.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 4 May 2026
The building is now fully occupied by Sand Law and the company’s 35 employees on its top three floors, and the company expects to keep growing.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026
The property occupies a lot of 6,210 square feet.
—Bay Area Home Report, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for occupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupy
Verb
-
The fact that both CBS News and CNN will be under the new corporate roof, however, makes the involvement of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf interests a sensitive point.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There’s something easy about sweet that doesn’t interest me.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes this involved simple in-person observations.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
But should the state get involved in zoning?—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
He was intrigued by Caglianone’s approach throughout Saturday’s victory.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 3,
Kansas City Star,
3 May 2026
-
That includes physicists at the University of Manchester, who were intrigued by the difference between crushing an empty soda can versus one that is full of liquid.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Drawing on Renaissance design, the goal was to create a romantic atmosphere in which guests are immersed in a scene fit for a work of art, placing them—and the wearable art on their bodies—within the visual tradition of the surrounding pieces.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
4 May 2026
-
Students are fully engaged in the hands-on experience while being immersed in the competitive edge of the medical challenge.—
Simulation Academy at Yale,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Silberman also busies himself as chairman of the welcoming committee.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
No Spotify playlists needed here—the natural sounds of this Arctic retreat are the perfect antidote to busy urban life.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Precious artifacts have been recently unearthed from the site that fascinates scholars worldwide.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
-
We were fascinated by a broader trend — covered locally by the Chicago Sun-Times and nationally by outlets including CNBC and The New York Times — of people turning the humble 1040 into a form of civil disobedience.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After Anthropic’s success in attracting business users, OpenAI is beefing up its Codex coding agent and other work tools.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The workshop will focus on fusion energy, an emerging technology that has attracted growing national and international interest because of its potential to provide safe, carbon-free electricity.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The tools, built on data from past purchases, preferences and browsing behavior, will enable associates to provide more informed and engaging service tailored to individual customers.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
-
When barriers are removed and students feel safe, supported and engaged, both attendance and achievement improve.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupy. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
