occupancy

noun

oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈä-kyə-pən(t)-sē How to pronounce occupancy (audio)
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
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.
The outlet, which published an owner occupancy affidavit dated March 13, 2024, reported that the document indicated Williams Brewer would occupy the Maryland residence for at least seven of the next 12 months. Alex Nitzberg, Fox News, 17 Jan. 2025 New shopping centers in Beijing opened in 2024 with average occupancy rates of 72% — previously such malls would not be opened if the rate was below 75% or much closer to 100%, JLL said. Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2025 Analytics firm Smith Travel Research (STR) tracks hotel occupancy at three times more than in January 2024, with around 64% of rooms booked on Inauguration Day (compared with 31% last non-inaugural year). Anna Spiegel, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025 Bass’ order also establishes task forces for debris removal, mudslide mitigation and to help multifamily development nearing completion receive temporary occupancy approval to make more units available on the market. Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for occupancy 

Word History

Etymology

occup(ant) + -ancy

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of occupancy was in 1629

Dictionary Entries Near occupancy

Cite this Entry

“Occupancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occupancy. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

occupancy

noun
oc·​cu·​pan·​cy ˈäk-yə-pən-sē How to pronounce occupancy (audio)
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 How to pronounce occupancy (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on occupancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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