reoccupy

verb

re·​oc·​cu·​py (ˌ)rē-ˈä-kyə-ˌpī How to pronounce reoccupy (audio)
reoccupied; reoccupying

transitive verb

: to occupy (a place) again : to take possession of or settle in (a place) after having relinquished it
We do temporary roofing to allow people to reoccupy their homes.Carl Strock
Some time between A.D. 1150 and 1200, Chaco Canyon was virtually abandoned and remained largely empty until Navajo sheepherders reoccupied it 600 years later.Jared Diamond
reoccupation noun
plural reoccupations
The plan called for an assault west from Quang Tri along Highway 9, then the reoccupation of Khe Sanh—abandoned after a 1968 siege—followed by the capture of Tchepone … Steve Liewer

Examples of reoccupy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nor are there signs that Russia is amassing the forces required to reoccupy the Kharkiv region by the end of 2024. Dara Massicot, Foreign Affairs, 8 Mar. 2024 If Israel were to reoccupy, clearly it would be perceived by the Palestinians as an epic enemy—a fast formula to disaster. Dahlia Scheindlin, The New Republic, 3 Nov. 2023 In previous conflicts with Hamas in Gaza, but especially in 2009, there were significant debates about whether to reoccupy the territory and destroy Hamas, said Ofer Shelah, a former legislator and a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023 The inclination, Israeli analysts and officials contend, is not to reoccupy the entirety of Gaza – Israel withdrew all its settlers and army in 2005 – but rather to move in with force and begin destroying Hamas weapons stores and rocket arsenals, and to kill fighters and senior leaders. Neri Zilber, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Oct. 2023 But there is little appetite for Israel to reoccupy the Gaza Strip, said Itamar Yaar, who helped plan Israel’s withdrawal of soldiers and citizens from Gaza in 2005 as deputy head of the National Security Council. Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023 Residents were advised not to reoccupy hazard zones without clearance from local emergency officials, KTUU reported. Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2023 His decision to reoccupy the Rhineland in 1936 was made just two weeks before issuing the order to march. Stephen Budiansky, wsj.com, 21 Apr. 2023 Many companies will rapidly reoccupy. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reoccupy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1626, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reoccupy was circa 1626

Dictionary Entries Near reoccupy

Cite this Entry

“Reoccupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reoccupy. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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