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

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

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

• 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

According to the staff report, Bee Cave has a 7% hotel occupancy tax rate that creates about $550,000 in yearly revenue. —Naina Srivastava, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

Hotel Carmichael has an 82.8% occupancy rate so far for 2025, beating pre-construction projections of 77%. —Jake Allen, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

In prime camping season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Ludington State Park had the highest occupancy rate at 94.38%. —Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 2 July 2025

Cincinnati renters face stiff competition, limited supply High demand and limited availability means renters have been forced to act fast and stretch their budgets to land an apartment in the Cincinnati area, where the occupancy rate hovers above 94%, according to RentCafe. —Randy Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

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