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

The driver of the Ford and both occupants of the Toyota were taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Dec. 2025

The pursuit ended when the vehicle ended up in marshland and both occupants fled on foot. —Tim Fang, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025

The current occupants of the Newton Avenue residence, unrelated to Rhone, were temporarily displaced as the investigation and search were carried out. —Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025

The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and taken to a nearby hospital. —Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 Dec. 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