occupancy
noun
oc·cu·pan·cy
ˈä-kyə-pən(t)-sē 
plural occupancies
1
: the fact or condition of holding, possessing, or residing in or on something
occupancy of the estate
2
: the act or fact of taking or having possession (as of unowned land) to acquire ownership
3
: the fact or condition of being occupied
occupancy by more than 400 persons is unlawful
4
: the use to which a property is put
industrial occupancy
5
: a building or part of a building intended to be occupied (as by a tenant)
Examples of occupancy in a Sentence
The sign above the auditorium door says, “Maximum occupancy: 500 persons.”
the landlord notified us of the need to cease occupancy in three months, when our apartment building would be sold
Recent Examples on the Web
Amid the tidal wave of deliveries of new rental supply, occupancy rates have barely dipped, reflecting demand that has been strong enough to surprise many in the industry.
—
Brad Hunter, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
In assessing the future of each individual building on the list released Tuesday, the GSA will consider current use, occupancy, cost of agency relocations and local market conditions when making final decisions.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
The houses are ready to be delivered once the certificates of occupancy are issued.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
The developer will also have to pay those salaries from the time that building permits start being issued until the time the new public safety facility has a certificate of occupancy.
—Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occupancy
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Brad Hunter, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
In assessing the future of each individual building on the list released Tuesday, the GSA will consider current use, occupancy, cost of agency relocations and local market conditions when making final decisions.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
The houses are ready to be delivered once the certificates of occupancy are issued.
—Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
The developer will also have to pay those salaries from the time that building permits start being issued until the time the new public safety facility has a certificate of occupancy.
—Alexandra Hardle, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occupancy
Cite this Entry
“Occupancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occupancy. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
occupancy
noun
oc·cu·pan·cy
ˈäk-yə-pən-sē
plural occupancies
1
: the act or condition of occupying or taking possession
takes occupancy on the first of the month
2
: the state of being occupied
an occupancy limit of 5 persons
Legal Definition
occupancy
noun
oc·cu·pan·cy
ˈä-kyə-pən-sē
plural occupancies
1
: the fact or condition of holding, possessing, or residing in or on something
occupancy of the premises
2
: the act or fact of taking or having possession (as of abandoned property) to acquire ownership
3
: the fact or condition of being occupied
occupancy by more than 400 persons is unlawful
4
: the use to which a property is put
designed for industrial occupancy
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