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
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Recent Examples of occupy
Taking over the space formerly occupied by Barbonzai (whose owners are retiring), Earlybird aims to fill a niche at the Lab’s culinary ecosystem.
—
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
This is a call to build networks (and occupy spaces) rooted in collective values, rather than popularity or trends.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The Valley location will occupy 74,000 square feet, including 120 fueling positions and bring more than 200 full-time jobs to the area.
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Tessa Thompson plays Anna Andrews, a former Atlanta anchorwoman looking to reclaim her chair after a year away, currently occupied by blond Lexy (rhymes with sexy) Jones (Rebecca Rittenhouse).
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occupy
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
This is a call to build networks (and occupy spaces) rooted in collective values, rather than popularity or trends.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The Valley location will occupy 74,000 square feet, including 120 fueling positions and bring more than 200 full-time jobs to the area.
—Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Tessa Thompson plays Anna Andrews, a former Atlanta anchorwoman looking to reclaim her chair after a year away, currently occupied by blond Lexy (rhymes with sexy) Jones (Rebecca Rittenhouse).
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occupy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupy
Verb
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The one who interests me most is midfielder Ruben Neves.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
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Check for special events and workshops that might interest your guests and transform a museum visit into a more engaging experience.—
Bill Bootz,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Thousands of people took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon to protest federal immigration activity after agents were involved in two different shootings this week, one that left a woman dead in Minneapolis and another that wounded two people in Portland, Oregon.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
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Homeland Security officials said the pair attempted to run over immigration officers with their car and say both are involved with gang Tren de Aragua.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Will he be intrigued in hiring him?—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Stefanski, then the Browns’ head coach, was intrigued by Dart’s talent and makeup.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The couple immersed themselves in his philosophies, maintaining correspondence with the controversial leader.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Freed from the cadence of earnings calls, Molinaroli has immersed himself in the machinery of talent production.—
William Jones,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For the first 12 minutes, the Celtics busied themselves by snapping up free points.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
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Eventually, though, after the Falcons recovered an onside kick successfully and knelt the rest of the way en route to a 19-17 victory, the family busied themselves jumping up and down, screaming for joy.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Details of the service were kept private, but the family's public show of solidarity in turning out to support Caroline is typical of the Kennedy dynasty, which has fascinated Americans for decades.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
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Why does Kubrick’s work continue to fascinate, thrill, and move us?—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The site has since attracted more than 10 nuisance complaints since 2022, according to city records.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
12 Jan. 2026
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Additionally, pests may find the wood appealing for nesting, which can attract more pests into your garage.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
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Home design is moving beyond aesthetics and toward spaces that actively engage the senses.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occupy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupy. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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