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

No injuries were reported for the occupants of the semitrailer or the other SUV. —Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025

All occupants were out of the building when firefighters arrived, and firefighters doused the fire, McIsaac said. —Darcie Moran, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025

The brazen shooting rocked New York City when gunman Shane Tamura double-parked his BMW and entered the 44-story skyscraper that takes up an entire block from E. 51st St. to E. 52nd St., and whose occupants include the The Blackstone Group, Rudin Management and NFL headquarters. —Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 29 July 2025

As officers approached the stopped vehicle, the occupants ran off. —Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 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