as in engaged
involved in often constant activity
the boy is constantly occupied, usually with sports or schoolwork
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in interested
to hold the attention of
a puzzle will occupy that child for hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of occupied
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested by Israeli forces in February 2025 after being accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
On Tuesday, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged both suspects with shooting at an occupied dwelling and negligent discharge of a firearm, police said.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
In June of 2025, Santa Ana became an occupied city.
—Bulmaro Vicente, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025
Israeli forces stand guard as Israeli settlers walk through the Old City of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Saturday.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli prisons were released into Gaza and the occupied West Bank as part of phase one of the ceasefire deal.
—Carrie Kahn, NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
These actions helped lay the groundwork for the later establishment of the role of White House Press Secretary, a position first occupied by journalist George Akerson, whom Herbert Hoover had originally hired as his secretary.
—JSTOR Daily, 7 Nov. 2025
Arizona occupied two of the 12 spots.
—Bahar Anooshahr, AZCentral.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Or let’s grant for the sake of argument that women such as Margaret Cavendish, Ann Conway, and Mary Astel did excellent philosophy, and the fact that their works haven’t occupied places in the Canon comparable to Hobbes, Leibniz, and Locke is largely a function of historical and ongoing sexism.
—Big Think, 6 Nov. 2025
The office space is 50% occupied, according to marketing materials prepared by JLL brokers Mark Katz and Hilary Barnett.
—Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
Today, many of them are occupied by a variety of shops, cafes, and antique markets just waiting to be explored.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
The legacy media was, in some cases, afraid to break with the public-health officials and others who occupied the highest ranks of our government.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Heisenberg received 150 liters (some 40 gallons) of heavy water from Norway, which had been occupied the previous fall by the German army.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested by Israeli forces in February 2025 after being accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
On Tuesday, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged both suspects with shooting at an occupied dwelling and negligent discharge of a firearm, police said.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
In June of 2025, Santa Ana became an occupied city.
—Bulmaro Vicente, Oc Register, 26 Oct. 2025
Israeli forces stand guard as Israeli settlers walk through the Old City of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Saturday.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli prisons were released into Gaza and the occupied West Bank as part of phase one of the ceasefire deal.
—Carrie Kahn, NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
About 30 or so customers occupied the wooden stools of the old-school, salty hangout in an industrial strip a few miles from downtown Louisville.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
These actions helped lay the groundwork for the later establishment of the role of White House Press Secretary, a position first occupied by journalist George Akerson, whom Herbert Hoover had originally hired as his secretary.
—JSTOR Daily, 7 Nov. 2025
Arizona occupied two of the 12 spots.
—Bahar Anooshahr, AZCentral.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Or let’s grant for the sake of argument that women such as Margaret Cavendish, Ann Conway, and Mary Astel did excellent philosophy, and the fact that their works haven’t occupied places in the Canon comparable to Hobbes, Leibniz, and Locke is largely a function of historical and ongoing sexism.
—Big Think, 6 Nov. 2025
The office space is 50% occupied, according to marketing materials prepared by JLL brokers Mark Katz and Hilary Barnett.
—Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 2025
Today, many of them are occupied by a variety of shops, cafes, and antique markets just waiting to be explored.
—Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
The legacy media was, in some cases, afraid to break with the public-health officials and others who occupied the highest ranks of our government.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Heisenberg received 150 liters (some 40 gallons) of heavy water from Norway, which had been occupied the previous fall by the German army.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupied
Adjective
-
Try having a musician become engaged for that length of time.—
Karen Taylor Bass,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In the year since their split, Turner has gotten engaged to his new partner, Lana Sutton.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Tommaso di Lampedusa’s novel, which looks at the unification of Italy from the perspective of a 20th-century writer, had a modernity that interested me.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Since his death more than two hundred years ago, Christophe’s tragic story has interested a broad array of playwrights, artists, novelists, and filmmakers across the world.—
Marlene L. Daut
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
At 40 of the country’s busiest airports, flights coming and going will be reduced by 10% this week.—
The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The shutdown’s ripple effects spread across nearly every part of the air travel network Friday, with the nation’s busiest airports hit hardest.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Rostyslav Semikov, who helped facilitate the trip, said the goal was for the Ukrainian doctors to be immersed in best practices.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
-
But you’ll still be immersed in nature and stillness, nonetheless.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Cardiologists are intrigued, but cautious.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Although he was married at the time, Lennon immediately was intrigued by Ono, and the two eventually became inseparable creative partners for the rest of his life.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Macfadyen is diligent in his portrayal of an obviously unwell man, traumatized by his difficult childhood and never having received the proper care.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
That same day, Stein, 75, posted a photo of Akira to Instagram sharing the news and thanking authorities for their diligent work in tracking down those responsible for her death.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Daniel also has and continues to be involved in podcasting at the newspaper.—
Daniel McFadin,
Arkansas Online,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Cut the Crap came out in November 1985, and got instantly repudiated by Joe Strummer and anyone else involved with it.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Elizabeth is fascinated by insects and science.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
But Cowley was American in a crucial way, wearing many hats in his long career, fascinated by the country’s parts, and always seeking to understand the forces that kept it whole and the writers who shared that curiosity.—
Michael Gorra,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Occupied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupied. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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