as in to interest
to hold the attention of
a puzzle will occupy that child for hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of occupy
The store will occupy a 7,000-square-foot retail space and sit next to Swarovski and down the block from a forthcoming Rolex headquarters.
—
Clio Chang, Curbed, 30 Mar. 2026
Earlier this month, Israeli forces occupied areas south of the Litani River and told Lebanese residents to leave the land as part of a broader assault after Hezbollah fired projectiles into Israel.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Light-filtering curtains occupy the space in between, offering a balanced option for many areas of the home.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Israel occupied the zone in the 1980s and '90s, and many who live there fear history could be repeating itself.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occupy
Clio Chang, Curbed, 30 Mar. 2026
Earlier this month, Israeli forces occupied areas south of the Litani River and told Lebanese residents to leave the land as part of a broader assault after Hezbollah fired projectiles into Israel.
—Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Light-filtering curtains occupy the space in between, offering a balanced option for many areas of the home.
—Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Israel occupied the zone in the 1980s and '90s, and many who live there fear history could be repeating itself.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupy
Verb
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But this Central American country – a narrow isthmus stretching for 500 miles between Costa Rica (to the west) and Colombia (to the east) – offers far more to interest the curious traveller, said David Amsden in Condé Nast Traveller.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
29 Mar. 2026
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If pepperoni doesn't interest some customers, King said Columbus-style goes beyond traditional toppings with more experimental options.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arrizurieta said getting involved in the community is crucial.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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The family says the three dogs involved in the attack have been euthanized.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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He, of course, would be welcomed back and possesses a skill set that NBA teams are intrigued by.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
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Kohler said he was intrigued by the new study’s finding that methylphenidate can play a preventive role in younger children.—
David Cox,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arab foreign ministers on Sunday appointed veteran Egyptian diplomat Nabil Fahmy as the head of the 22-member Arab League, at a time the Middle East is immersed in a regional war that shows no sign of abating.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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In 2022, when AD featured the Los Angeles residence of Emma Chamberlain, the wildly popular internet phenom was already immersing herself in the world of home decor, gaining confidence and inspiration from her work with the interiors firm Proem.—
Mayer Rus,
Architectural Digest,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Another busied himself writing and rewriting the mundane information on his slate.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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Emma shook her head and busied herself with picking up her waders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For decades, the Zeigler case has fascinated the public around the world, leading to television shows, books, documentaries and a variety of crime sleuths creating various conspiracy theories.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
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He’d already been fascinated by watching his daughter, Cassidy, play with a dollhouse.—
Eric Boodman,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The robots were there to attract attention, not replace staff.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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Fish are attracted to the shade of the tree.—
Mike Kurlansky,
Outside,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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If all of Orion’s systems are working correctly, the crew will begin their journey to the moon by engaging the spacecraft’s main engine for a translunar injection burn that will put it on the correct course to head to the moon and return to Earth.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
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But as tech investor and author Nir Eyal points out, asking companies to make their products less appealing and engaging can be a tough sell.—
Kristin Stoller,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupy. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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