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

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Bhandari expects that, at best, his 122-bed hostel will reach 60% occupancy during that peak tourist season this year, down from 100% last year. — Sam Meredith,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

But today a quick accounting shows the Plaza’s occupancies are slightly better than holding steady, with 28% of its 151 storefronts unoccupied. — Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026

As a condition of that grant, the university will offer a 25% discount on room rent to 285 first-year students in double-occupancy rooms each year. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026

The average occupancy rate for major soundstages in the city was 62 percent as of the first half of 2025, permitting office FilmLA reported in March. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

occup(ant) + -ancy

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing occupancy

• double occupancy
• high-occupancy vehicle
• 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