occupation
noun
oc·cu·pa·tion
ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən 
1
a
: an activity in which one engages
Pursuing pleasure has been his major occupation.
b
: the principal business of one's life : vocation
Teaching was her occupation.
2
a
: the possession, use, or settlement of land : occupancy
the last of the historic private houses in the metropolis … still in the occupation of its hereditary owner—
Sidney (Australia) Bull.
Sidney (Australia) Bull.
b
: the holding of an office or position
it is only … the occupation … of two offices at the same time that offends public policy—W. D. Miller
W. D. Miller3
a
: the act or process of taking possession of a place or area : seizure
Spain's occupation of the island
b
: the holding and control of an area by a foreign military force
the Roman occupation of Britain
c
: the military force occupying a country or the policies carried out by it
The occupation addressed the concerns of the local population.
Synonyms
Examples of occupation in a Sentence
He is thinking about changing occupations and becoming a police officer.
“What's your occupation?” “I'm a stay-at-home mom.”
Swimming was their main occupation at summer camp.
Some evidence of human occupation was found in these caves.
The offices are ready for occupation.
Recent Examples on the Web
On Friday afternoon administrators demanded that students end the occupation in two buildings, Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East, by 5 p.m. or face arrest.
—Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2024
The students demanded that the university cut all its ties with Israel's government and divest from companies that support Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territory.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024
The workforce limits will affect all industries, occupations, and geographies, and the provision of all goods and services.
—Journal Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2024
In the Midwest, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a walkout slated for 12 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) to demand acknowledgment of the killings of Palestinians because of Israeli occupation and to call for divestment from Israel.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 26 Apr. 2024
Despite the significance of the Battle of Puebla, the win there did not end the French occupation of Mexico.
—The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024
There is no one group organizing the occupation; a few dozen students entered Siemens Hall on Monday afternoon around 4 p.m., and more students joined as the police presence grew.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
Chinese nationalists refer to the Japanese occupation of parts of China in the 1930s and its army’s brutality against Chinese civilians in the second Sino-Japanese War and WWII.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Apr. 2024
In their new paper, the researchers reported evidence for human occupation of the lava tube between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age—in other words, humans made use of the tube for millennia.
—Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2024
The students demanded that the university cut all its ties with Israel's government and divest from companies that support Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territory.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 26 Apr. 2024
The workforce limits will affect all industries, occupations, and geographies, and the provision of all goods and services.
—Journal Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2024
In the Midwest, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a walkout slated for 12 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET) to demand acknowledgment of the killings of Palestinians because of Israeli occupation and to call for divestment from Israel.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 26 Apr. 2024
Despite the significance of the Battle of Puebla, the win there did not end the French occupation of Mexico.
—The Arizona Republic, 26 Apr. 2024
There is no one group organizing the occupation; a few dozen students entered Siemens Hall on Monday afternoon around 4 p.m., and more students joined as the police presence grew.
—Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 24 Apr. 2024
Chinese nationalists refer to the Japanese occupation of parts of China in the 1930s and its army’s brutality against Chinese civilians in the second Sino-Japanese War and WWII.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 22 Apr. 2024
In their new paper, the researchers reported evidence for human occupation of the lava tube between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age—in other words, humans made use of the tube for millennia.
—Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'occupation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to occupation
Dictionary Entries Near occupation
Cite this Entry
“Occupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occupation. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
occupation
noun
oc·cu·pa·tion
ˌäk-yə-ˈpā-shən
1
: one's business or profession
2
: the taking possession and control of an area
occupation of a conquered country
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