occupied
/ˈɒk.jʊ.pɛd/adjective★Intermediate— busy or taken
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.
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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.
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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
📖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