occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt 

1

: one who acquires title by occupancy

2

: one who occupies a particular place

especially : resident

Synonyms of occupant

• inhabitant
• resident
• tenant
• resider

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

Old furniture fills the rooms, giving the place the domestic, lived-in feel of a family home that has grown with its occupants. — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

There has been one report of a tree striking a house so far and the county will make sure its occupants are provided with temporary housing through the American Red Cross, Cochran-Johnson said. — AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Meir and her crew left the planet in February to replace four station occupants who were sent home early after one of them — NASA's Mike Fincke, now retired — fell ill. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

This creates four pod-like spaces for the occupants who sit low in hollows between batteries. — New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026

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

Kids Definition

occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈäk-yə-pənt 

: a person who occupies something

especially : resident entry 2 sense 1

Legal Definition

occupant

noun

oc·​cu·​pant ˈä-kyə-pənt 

1

: one who occupies a particular place

an occupant of the car

the occupant of the apartment

2

: one who acquires title by occupancy