Occupant: meaning, definitions and examples

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occupant

 

[หˆษ’kjสŠpษ™nt ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

in a building

A person who resides or is present in a particular place, especially on a long-term basis. Occupants may be tenants, owners, or squatters.

Synonyms

dweller, inhabitant, resident.

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Word Description / Examples
occupant

This term is often used to refer to someone who is currently using or living in a space, such as a car, house, or office. It implies temporary or current use.

  • The police found an occupant in the car.
  • The occupant of the office was on a conference call.
resident

Used to describe someone who lives somewhere permanently or for a long period. Itโ€™s commonly used in relation to people living in a community, neighborhood, or building.

  • The residents of the apartment building hold a meeting once a month.
  • As a long-time resident of this town, she knew everyone.
inhabitant

This word is used to describe someone who lives in a particular place, often with a focus on the number of people living in that place. It's more formal and is often used in statistics, reports, or descriptions of places.

  • The city has over a million inhabitants.
  • The inhabitants of the village gather for the festival every year.
dweller

Typically used to describe someone who lives in a specific type of place for a long time, often in a poetic or descriptive context. It is frequently associated with places like cities or caves.

  • City dwellers often have to deal with noise and pollution.
  • Cave dwellers must have had a very different way of life.

Examples of usage

  • The occupants of the apartment building were asked to evacuate during the fire.
  • The new occupants of the house were excited to make it their own.
  • The office building has multiple occupants on different floors.
Context #2 | Noun

in a vehicle

A person who is traveling in a vehicle, especially the driver or passengers.

Synonyms

driver, passenger, rider.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
occupant

Used to refer to someone who resides or is present in a space, especially a vehicle or a building. It's a more formal term.

  • The car crash resulted in injuries to both the driver and the occupants.
  • The building's occupants were evacuated safely.
passenger

Refers to someone who is being transported in a vehicle but is not driving it. Used in public transport or private vehicles.

  • The bus passengers were all seated quietly.
  • He was a passenger in the car during the road trip.
rider

Generally used for someone who is riding a bike, motorcycle, or horse. Can also refer to someone on public transit like a bus or train, but less commonly.

  • The bike rider sped down the trail.
  • Riders must wear helmets for safety.
driver

Specific to someone who controls and drives a vehicle, such as a car or a bus. It clearly highlights the act of driving.

  • The driver failed to stop at the red light.
  • She is a careful driver who always follows traffic rules.

Examples of usage

  • The occupants of the car were uninjured in the accident.
  • The police questioned the occupants of the suspicious vehicle.
  • The bus had few occupants during the late-night route.

Translations

Translations of the word "occupant" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น ocupante

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค…เคงเคฟเคตเคพเคธเฅ€

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Besetzer

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ penghuni

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะผะตัˆะบะฐะฝะตั†ัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ lokator

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅ ๆœ‰่€…

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท occupant

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ ocupante

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท iลŸgalci

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์ ์œ ์ž

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุญุชู„

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ obyvatel

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ obyvateฤพ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ ็”จ่€…

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ prebivalec

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ รญbรบi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚าฑั€า“ั‹ะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ›แƒแƒกแƒแƒฎแƒšแƒ”

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sakin

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ ocupante

Etymology

The word 'occupant' originated from the Latin word 'occupant-' (stem of occupans), present participle of 'occupare' meaning 'to take possession of'. The term has been used in English since the mid-16th century to refer to someone who occupies a particular place.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #11,388, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.