occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt 

1

: one who acquires title by occupancy

2

: one who occupies a particular place

especially : resident

Synonyms of occupant

• inhabitant
• resident
• tenant
• resider

Examples of occupant in a Sentence

The apartment's previous occupant was a painter.

Both of the car's occupants were injured.

Recent Examples on the Web

This direction pushes air downward, creating a breeze that helps cool the occupants below. —Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 10 June 2026

Police seized about 20 pounds of the drug and identified the occupants as 52-year-old Susano RomeroAguirre and 41-year-old Huber CarilloOrtiz of Oakland. —Tim Fang, CBS News, 10 June 2026

Four occupants of the vehicle died at the scene, and a fifth died in a hospital, police said. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026

The Suburban had been involved in an unrelated accident a few minutes prior, and its occupants were outside the vehicle when the Camry hit it. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French, from present participle of occuper "to occupy"

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈäk-yə-pənt 

: a person who occupies something

especially : resident entry 2 sense 1

Legal Definition

occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt 

1

: one who occupies a particular place

an occupant of the car

the occupant of the apartment

2

: one who acquires title by occupancy