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 islandb : the holding and control of an area by a foreign military force the Roman occupation of Britainc : the military force occupying a country or the policies carried out by it The occupation addressed the concerns of the local population.
occupationally
adverbRead the Latest from M-W
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 of occupation from the Web
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Six bronze reliefs depict a massacre, the worst in Ethiopian history, carried out by Italian forces during the occupation of 1936-41 while Graziani was viceroy of Italy’s new colony.
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The title refers to the class of Iraqi youth that came of age during the United States' occupation of Iraq, which began in 2003.
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Two weeks into the occupation, federal officials sat down with the activists in a room jammed with supporters and media.
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Trump said, speaking at a monument to a past struggle, the 1944 Polish resistance to Nazi occupation in World War II.
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More: Nearly 100 Louisville leaders call for Johnson's suspension from council The suit alleges the city is depriving King and Martin of their rights to pursue a lawful occupation free from unreasonable governmental interference.
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The unprotected categories include social class, occupation, continental origin, political ideology, appearance, religion, age, or country.
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Age: 30 Hometown: Tuskegee, AL Current city: Woodbridge, VA Occupation: Government engineer Strategy: Be friendly and maintain integrity; always be watchful, but not in a creepy way; be observant; and take mental notes about everyone.
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KPMG notes that more than half of all management, professional and related occupations are held by women, yet women account for only 5 percent of the chief executives of S&P 500 companies.
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.
Origin and Etymology of occupation
Middle English occupacioun, from Anglo-French occupaciun, from Latin occupation-, occupatio, from occupare
Synonym Discussion of occupation
OCCUPATION Defined for English Language Learners
occupation
playDefinition of occupation for English Language Learners
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: the work that a person does : a person's job or profession
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: an activity that a person spends time doing
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: the activity of living in or using a particular place
OCCUPATION Defined for Kids
occupation
playDefinition of occupation for Students
1 : a person's business or profession His uncle was a tailor by occupation.
2 : the act of using or taking possession and control of a place Human occupation of this area began thousands of years ago.
Learn More about occupation
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See words that rhyme with occupation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for occupation Spanish Central: Translation of occupation Nglish: Translation of occupation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of occupation for Arabic speakers
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