OCCUPIES Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

occupies

verb

present tense third-person singular of occupy

as in interests

to hold the attention of a puzzle will occupy that child for hours

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of occupies The Peter Marino Art Foundation occupies the former Rogers Memorial Library, a charming historic building in Southampton, New York, that its namesake has transformed into something much stranger inside. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The home occupies the entire top floor of the high-rise, where more than 2,000 square feet of terraces encircle the residence. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Data from the Forest Service tentatively confirms Finch’s hypothesis, suggesting that kudzu occupies around 227,000 acres of Southern land, just a small fraction of the millions of acres it has been said to cover. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026 Beaver's Mini Mart occupies a long, low building with a shingle roof at a suburban intersection. — CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 If repertory cinema is experiencing a rebirth, Asian cinema occupies a central place within it. — José Salazar, IndieWire, 24 Aug. 2026 The company occupies The MAC’s 184-seat Playhouse Theatre, which Millhouse says offers the intimacy BTE productions require. — Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 Beaver’s Mini Mart occupies a long, low building with a shingle roof at a suburban intersection. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 Place cells, hippocampal neurons that fire when an animal occupies a particular spot, still fired in the same locations after arousal. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupies

Verb

With your sisters Kim and Kylie breaking into the acting world over the last couple of years, with American Horror Story, All’s Fair and The Moment, is acting something that still interests you?

— Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to talk about what interests him, in the right context.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of interests

Verb

For how much this book immerses you in the natural world, there is regular talk of machinery and robots in the story.

— Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
From the outset, the show immerses audiences in 1930s New York, and while set in a noir world, there’s a modern aspect to it too.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of immerses

Verb

The plot against Zeraati is part of a widening campaign by the Iranian government which involves hiring criminals—Russian mobsters, Hells Angels bikers, and even Swedish teen-agers—to attack its detractors and sow fear among Iranians in exile.

— Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
In most companies, updating materials for different regions involves multiple review layers that slow things down.

— Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of involves

Verb

Yet, what fascinates is that Aristotle’s God isn’t a typical divine being who summons and shepherds.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, what fascinates aspiring neurologist Makenzie Stovall is the idea that AI is trying to emulate the brain — an organ whose inner workings continue to leave researchers dumbfounded.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of fascinates

Verb

Nicotine pouch use attracts younger adults as well, with 5% of adults aged 18 to 29 and 7% of those aged 30 to 49 reporting use, compared with just 1% of those 65 and older.

— Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Why private credit may avoid a ‘crisis-apocalypse’ Blackstone’s scale attracts outsized scrutiny, and investors’ attempts to pull money from its private credit funds earlier this year made headline news.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of attracts

Verb

Ruston anticipates Loco Coyote to be open Wednesday through Sundays, so locals can enjoy a few weekdays before the tourist crowd busies the restaurant during the weekends.

— Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
Silberman also busies himself as chairman of the welcoming committee.

— Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026

Definition of busies

Verb

Additionally, Muspratt engages the audience by sharing stories about the composers and their compositions during the concerts and greeting them in person afterward.

— Barbara Vitello, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Similarly, when using the Heat setting, the HVAC system engages the furnace, boiler, or similar heating system at the same time as the fan, increasing the amount of energy used.

— Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of engages

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occupiers

occupies

occupy

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“Occupies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupies. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of occupies

verb

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