occupied

/ˈɒk.jʊ.pɛd/
busy or taken

The conference room is occupied.

The room is currently being used.


informal

Being used or taken by someone; not available.

All the seats are occupied.

There are no free seats left.

She is occupied with her homework.

She is busy doing her homework.

Often used for rooms, seats, or people who are busy.

Law
formal

Past participle of the verb 'occupy'; having taken possession of a place.

The territory was occupied after the treaty.

The land came under control following the agreement.

Used in legal or historical contexts to describe control of land.

Collocations

occupied withbusy doing somethingoccupied bytaken or used by someone/somethingoccupied seata seat that is already taken

Related Phrases

occupied territoryphrase
land under foreign control
occupied seatphrase
a seat that is already taken

Word Origin

From Latin 'occupatus', past participle of 'occupare' meaning 'to seize, take possession of'.

Usage Notes

When describing a place, use 'occupied' alone (e.g., 'The room is occupied'). When describing a person’s activity, pair with a preposition: 'occupied with' or 'occupied by'.

English Dictionary