occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈä-kyə-pən(t)-sē 

plural occupancies

1

: the fact or condition of holding, possessing, or residing in or on something

occupancy of the estate

The house is unsafe for human occupancy.

2

: the act or fact of taking or having possession (as of unowned land) to acquire ownership

3

: the fact or condition of being occupied

a single occupancy room

Occupancy by more than 400 persons is unlawful.

4

: the use to which a property is put

industrial occupancy

5

: a building or part of a building intended to be occupied (as by a tenant)

Synonyms of occupancy

• occupation
• habitation
• residency

Examples of occupancy in a Sentence

The sign above the auditorium door says, “Maximum occupancy: 500 persons.”

the landlord notified us of the need to cease occupancy in three months, when our apartment building would be sold

Recent Examples on the Web

Lower hotel occupancy means fewer opportunities for him and his fellow bellmen, cocktail servers and valets to make tips, their primary income, pinching their wallets even further. — Juhi Doshi, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

This includes occupancy rate, rapid conversion, case management, and being active in the community. — Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

The original English-language version led theatrical collections with a 55% occupancy rate across nearly 8,000 shows. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026

In late July, Nguyen and her teenage volunteers dragged wagons of groceries provided by Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez’s office to residents living in single-room occupancy hotels, or SROs. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

occup(ant) + -ancy

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing occupancy

• double occupancy
• maximum occupancy

Kids Definition

occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈäk-yə-pən-sē 

plural occupancies

1

: the act or condition of occupying or taking possession

takes occupancy on the first of the month

2

: the state of being occupied

an occupancy limit of 5 persons

Legal Definition

occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈä-kyə-pən-sē 

plural occupancies

1

: the fact or condition of holding, possessing, or residing in or on something

occupancy of the premises

2

: the act or fact of taking or having possession (as of abandoned property) to acquire ownership

3

: the fact or condition of being occupied

occupancy by more than 400 persons is unlawful

4

: the use to which a property is put

designed for industrial occupancy