OCCUPY Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

occupy

verb

ˈä-kyə-ˌpī

Definition of occupy

as in to interest

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 occupy Both men have occupied seats that have generally been safe for Republicans even since the 2021 remap. — CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026 The second, former Uber chief corporate affairs officer Jill Hazelbaker, will occupy the same role at OpenAI. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2026 In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governorship, becoming the first Black woman to occupy that position in any state. — Sarah Todd, STAT, 4 Nov. 2026 This month, a nightclub called Circa Charlotte debuted in the space formerly occupied by Suite. — Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for occupy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupy

Verb

What interests me most is the possibility of giving doctors another set of highly capable eyes.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Follow what interests you without needing to come home with a grand revelation.

— Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of interest

Verb

The inspector general flagged more than $76,000 in travel involving out-of-state key personnel.

— Julie Watts, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
In Singapore, Zechariah Chan, a partner at law firm Lee & Lee, said protecting trade secrets can be particularly difficult in the semiconductor industry, where proprietary knowledge often involves intangible manufacturing techniques and methods.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of involve

Verb

Both Heder and Madeley were intrigued by the juxtaposition of Heumann’s desire for movement with her paralysis forcing her to be still.

— Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026
Now in his 14th season with the NBA, Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum was first intrigued by wine when his wife Elise’s parents gifted the couple a bottle of Merlot while the two were still in college and dating.

— Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of intrigue

Verb

Here, Chen can immerse himself in his noodles, spending hours in the kitchen crafting bowls of bouncy strands sluiced in chile oil and crowded with things like pickled mustard greens, ground pork and pickled chiles.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Related Stories From football camp to visceral, harrowing sequences of war in the Pacific, the story takes audiences through it all, immersing them in the experience.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of immerse

Verb

That’s certainly how Republicans busied themselves in the last two years of the Biden administration, when Hunter Biden got more airtime than pharmaceutical ads.

— Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 2 Sep. 2026
After busying ourselves with fly fishing on the Snake River, rafting, horseback riding and touring Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, there hasn’t been much time for reflection.

— Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of busy

Verb

Mitchell Kohrmann was fascinated by the Cannonball record runs between New York City and Los Angeles, but decided to make things more interesting by choosing the slowest possible car.

— Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 1 Nov. 2026
Those copious field reports, sworn affidavits, and telegrams signed, alarmingly, HOOVER, would fascinate, enrage, and unmoor me.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of fascinate

Verb

Across Coach and Kate Spade, the core leather goods category fueled growth, attracting consumers through accessible pricing.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
And the fest once again has attracted such stars as Tim Blake Nelson and Goldshifteh Farahani and their films.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of attract

Verb

These allow the same ammunition family to engage different target types, including aircraft, surface vessels, and threats along shorelines.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
Neither Castillo nor Hershey have filed required ethics reports, or reported fundraising, signs their campaigns lack broad support and have not broadly engaged voters.

— Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of engage

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occupies

occupy

occupying

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Style

“Occupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupy. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of occupy

verb

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