occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt How to pronounce occupant (audio)
Synonyms of occupantnext
1
: one who acquires title by occupancy
2
: one who occupies a particular place
especially : resident

Synonyms of occupant

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Examples of occupant in a Sentence

The apartment's previous occupant was a painter. Both of the car's occupants were injured.
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.
Consider a ghost tour of Merchant’s House, a residence turned museum where supernatural phenomena have been reported since the death of its last occupant, in 1933. — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 Months leading up to Paul Herlihy's death At the time of the killing, Paul and Douglas Herlihy were the sole occupants of a residence in Milford that Paul Herlihy bought in December 2002, according to court documents. — ABC News, 23 Oct. 2026 Real change will have to wait for the 2028 presidential election and a new occupant in the White House. — Dylan Scott, Vox, 22 Oct. 2026 Crews arrived to find the fire showing from two sides of the apartment, made entry and removed the occupant from the apartment with the help of Detroit Police officers. — Karma Sabbah, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for occupant

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French, from present participle of occuper "to occupy"

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of occupant was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

occupancy
occupant
occupation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Occupant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occupant. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

occupant

noun
oc·​cu·​pant ˈäk-yə-pənt How to pronounce occupant (audio)
: a person who occupies something
especially : resident entry 2 sense 1

Legal Definition

occupant

noun
oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt How to pronounce occupant (audio)
1
: one who occupies a particular place
an occupant of the car
the occupant of the apartment
2
: one who acquires title by occupancy
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