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
Once the Cubs began their occupancy in 1916, change became typical through the ballpark’s early decades.
—
Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
The injunction request stated the premises were unfit for occupancy and owners did not have a valid city business license.
—Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Those include laws dealing with allowing accessory dwelling units — including garage and backyard units — as well as parking requirements in neighborhoods near transit stops and residential occupancy limits.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2025
The foundation, Oliphant said, will make improvements to the building to not only boost tenancy but to enliven the B Street corridor, which has been depressed by record low office occupancy, fire sales and building foreclosures.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occupancy
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Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
The injunction request stated the premises were unfit for occupancy and owners did not have a valid city business license.
—Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Those include laws dealing with allowing accessory dwelling units — including garage and backyard units — as well as parking requirements in neighborhoods near transit stops and residential occupancy limits.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2025
The foundation, Oliphant said, will make improvements to the building to not only boost tenancy but to enliven the B Street corridor, which has been depressed by record low office occupancy, fire sales and building foreclosures.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 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 21 Apr. 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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