Synonyms for occupy
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : ok-yuh-pahy |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈɒk yəˌpaɪ |
Top 10 synonyms for occupy Other synonyms for the word occupy
- absorb
- amuse
- be active with
- be concerned with
- be established
- be in command
- be in residence
- busy
- divert
- dwell
- engage
- engross
- ensconce
- entertain
- garrison
- hold attention
- immerse
- interest
- involve
- keep
- keep busy
- live in
- maintain
- monopolize
- obtain
- overrun
- own
- people
- permeate
- pervade
- populate
- possess
- preoccupy
- remain
- sit
- soak
- stay
- take possession
- take up
- tenant
- tie up
- utilize
Définition of occupy
Origin :- mid-14c., "to take possession of," also "to take up space or time, employ (someone)," irregularly borrowed from Old French occuper "occupy (a person or place), hold, seize" (13c.) or directly from Latin occupare "take over, seize, take into possession, possess, occupy," from ob "over" (see ob-) + intensive form of capere "to grasp, seize" (see capable). The final syllable of the English word is difficult to explain, but it is as old as the record; perhaps from a modification made in Anglo-French. During 16c.-17c. a common euphemism for "have sexual intercourse with" (sense attested from early 15c.), which caused it to fall from polite usage.
- "A captaine? Gods light these villaines wil make the word as odious as the word occupy, which was an excellent good worde before it was il sorted." [Doll Tearsheet in "2 Henry IV"]
- Related: Occupied; occupying.
- verb be busy with
- verb reside; use
- verb seize, take over
- He decided, too, that he could think better with something mechanical to occupy his hands.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- He tried to recall some forgotten detail of the business that might serve to occupy him.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- If this were not so, we should not occupy our present position in the world.
- Extract from : « The Story of the Malakand Field Force » by Sir Winston S. Churchill
- So brief a time did all this occupy that Maulo, looking back, saw them.
- Extract from : « The Leopard Woman » by Stewart Edward White
- I had many things to occupy my mind, besides my regular tasks.
- Extract from : « In the Valley » by Harold Frederic
- There was absolutely nothing he could discover to occupy his mind.
- Extract from : « The Black Bag » by Louis Joseph Vance
- It was permitted them to occupy a bench outside the station.
- Extract from : « The Black Bag » by Louis Joseph Vance
- But, beyond this, Hetty did not occupy her thoughts with Dr. Eben.
- Extract from : « Hetty's Strange History » by Anonymous
- And so he began to visit Rome in order to occupy his leisure.
- Extract from : « The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete » by Emile Zola
- They are not to occupy us in our dealings with our brethren.
- Extract from : « A Dish Of Orts » by George MacDonald
Antonyms for occupy
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019