OCCUPATIONS Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

occupations

noun

plural of occupation

as in professions

the activity by which one regularly makes a living my primary occupation is stockbroker, but I'm a drummer in a rock band on the weekends

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in occupancies

the act or fact of residing in a place occupation of a condemned building is illegal

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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.

Recent Examples of occupations Across 25 occupations that past technology upended, employment fell an extra 4% over five years for every point the national unemployment rate climbed. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 Which occupations lose their very purpose when the human element is removed? — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026 Also a list of the true names and addresses of all former slaves, along with their actual occupations and 1858 yearly incomes, which, surprising no one, were right on par with the incomes of similar whites. — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 Roughly 40% of workers in healthcare support, food service, farming, fishing, forestry, construction and repair occupations hold NDCs. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Creating jobs is another top priority, particularly as the growing use of artificial intelligence threatens to make many traditional occupations obsolete. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The series brings 10 strangers together in an institutional setting for seven days, with each person trying to guess the true occupations of the others while hiding their own identities. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 Roughly 25 million workers will be able to stay in their current occupations, although the nature of their jobs may change, while the remaining 11 million will need to pivot into other fields. — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Justifying the use of force on their campuses, schools primarily deferred to just this idea of protocol, citing arcane policy mandates to disband encampments and occupations so that academic production could resume its flow. — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupations

Noun

The clientele here is notably upscale, in-the-know, and coming from all fields of business, with an emphasis on creative professions and the luxury fashion world.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
The relationships formed in caregiving professions are intimate and personal.

— Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of professions

Noun

Some types of universities are seeing much higher occupancies and lagging construction, while others are overbuilt with falling demand.

— Diana Olick, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
But today a quick accounting shows the Plaza’s occupancies are slightly better than holding steady, with 28% of its 151 storefronts unoccupied.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of occupancies

Noun

Businesspeople have visited schools to help students explore other routes, including community college and vocations such as HVAC technicians.

— Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2026
The article suggests that true mastery comes not from avoiding mistakes, but from operating at the edge of one's capacity, much like in demanding vocations such as sports or diving.

— Ulrik Juul Christensen, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Definition of vocations

Noun

Wild elephants often stray into human habitations this time of year, when rice fields are ready for harvesting.

— CBS News, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Such defensive settlements became the norm in areas vulnerable to slave-raiding, with individual houses and collective habitations undergoing significant transformations.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025

Definition of habitations

Noun

In 2024, the Motherwell estate gave $200,000 to the organization to support its months-long fellowship program, as well as its shorter summer workshops and residencies.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
For Boos, that included global tours, eight-figure catalog sales and multiple Las Vegas residencies.

— Claudia Rosenbaum, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of residencies

Noun

The Panthers punted on each of their first four drives, failing to pick up a first down on any of those possessions, as Miami jumped out to a 17-0 lead.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Marcel Reed threw picks on Texas A&M's first two possessions and later lost a fumble, continuing a trend of committing too many turnovers in league games.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of possessions

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occupation

occupations

occupied

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“Occupations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupations. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of occupations

noun

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