occupation

noun

oc·cu·pa·tion | \ ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən

Definition of occupation

1a : an activity in which one engages Pursuing pleasure has been his major occupation.

b : the principal business of one's life : vocation Teaching was her occupation.

2a : the possession, use, or settlement of land : occupancy the last of the historic private houses in the metropolis … still in the occupation of its hereditary owner — Sidney (Australia) Bull.

b : the holding of an office or position it is only … the occupation … of two offices at the same time that offends public policy— W. D. Miller

3a : the act or process of taking possession of a place or area : seizure Spain's occupation of the island

b : the holding and control of an area by a foreign military force the Roman occupation of Britain

c : the military force occupying a country or the policies carried out by it The occupation addressed the concerns of the local population.

Other Words from occupation Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about occupation

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for occupation

work, employment, occupation, calling, pursuit, métier, business mean a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living. work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not. her work as a hospital volunteer employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer. your employment with this firm is hereby terminated occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training. his occupation as a trained auto mechanic calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession. the ministry seemed my true calling pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest. her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted. acting was my one and only métier business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs. the business of managing a hotel

Examples of occupation in a Sentence

He is thinking about changing occupations and becoming a police officer. “What's your occupation?” “I'm a stay-at-home mom.” Swimming was their main occupation at summer camp. Some evidence of human occupation was found in these caves. The offices are ready for occupation.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1968 alone, 137 people were killed by Warsaw Pact soldiers, and a total of more than 400 died during the occupation of Czechoslovakia that ended only after the 1989 anti-communist Velvet Revolution. — Karel Janicek, Fox News, "Czechs boo prime minister 50 years after Soviet-led invasion," 21 Aug. 2018 Many of the works’ original owners were Jewish victims of Nazi persecution, whose homes were pillaged during Nazi Germany’s occupation of France. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "The Louvre Puts Nazi-Looted Art in Public Eye in Effort to Find Rightful Heirs," 14 Feb. 2018 For all of her roles, her main occupation is a very modern one: the person who, by sheer force of social-media appeal, is a business. — Gillian Laab, Vogue, "Chrissy Teigen on Kanye, Getting Blocked by Trump, and Actually Caring About Her Comments," 16 Oct. 2018 But once Slashed by Tia’s her full-time occupation? — Amira Rasool, Glamour, "How Slashed by Tia Set a New Standard for Instagram Fashion Brands," 9 Aug. 2018 However, the gender pay gap continues across the board in almost all occupations. — Felicia Gans, BostonGlobe.com, "The professions with the widest gender pay gap, according to the US Census," 1 June 2018 The Cincinnati area had more than 32,000 employees in computer and mathematical occupations in May 2016, based on an Enquirer analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. — Randy Tucker, Cincinnati.com, "Did Amazon miss tech boom in Cincinnati area? Experts and data suggest it did.," 5 Mar. 2018 Bundy was later acquitted by a jury for his role in the occupation. — Kyle Swenson, The Seattle Times, "Ammon Bundy breaks with Trump on anti-migrant rhetoric: ‘It’s all fear-based’," 28 Nov. 2018 But, most of the increases have been in occupations traditionally oriented toward women like teaching, administrative assistance, and bookkeeping. — Jenn M. Jackson, Teen Vogue, "Black Women's Labor in America Has Always Been Exploited," 7 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'occupation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for occupation

Middle English occupacioun "possession of land, engagement in an activity, vocation, concern," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French occupaciun, borrowed from Latin occupātiōn-, occupātiō "seizing possession, preoccupation," from occupāre "to grasp, take possession of, fill up (space, a position)" + -tiōn- -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at occupy

Keep scrolling for more