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

• 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

Seven total occupants of the vehicles were taken to local hospitals, one of them by air ambulance due to the severity of their injuries, Nunez said. —Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2025

Police later learned the occupant of the vehicle, identified as Ander Polanco, 38, had been reported missing around an hour earlier, according to Sempsis. —Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025

Several witnesses directed the officers to a car, whose occupant was unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. —Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 26 Sep. 2025

Officers stopped the car and detained both occupants without incident. —Jason Green, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025

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