occupation
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the job or profession that you do to earn money.
a person's regular work or profession; the primary activity by which one earns a living.
Simple“Please state your name, age, and occupation on the application form.”
In context“The census required every head of household to provide a detailed description of their primary occupation and any secondary sources of income.”
PitfallWhat is your occupation? What do you do for a living?'Occupation' is common on official forms, but in casual conversation, people usually ask 'What do you do?' instead.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a situation where an army moves into and takes control of another country.
the action of a military force taking control of a foreign territory or the period during which this control is maintained.
Simple“The city remained under military occupation for several years after the war.”
In context“International law dictates specific responsibilities for a governing power during a period of hostile military occupation to protect the civilian population.”
Antonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the act of living in or using a building or a piece of land.
the act of entering into and taking possession of a property or location.
Simple“The new office building is finally ready for occupation by the staff.”
In context“The certificate of occupancy was delayed because the building failed to meet the latest fire safety standards for commercial occupation.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
an activity that you spend time doing, like a hobby.
an activity or pastime that keeps a person busy or engaged.
Simple“Reading and gardening were her favourite occupations during the long summer.”
In context“In his retirement, he found that woodcarving was a pleasant occupation that kept his mind sharp and his hands busy.”
“This week Stanford University in the US flagged a decline in the employment of young workers in AI-exposed occupations such as software engineering and customer service.”
“The report estimates that 6.1 per cent of jobs held by people aged 15 to 29 are in occupations highly exposed to AI-related changes .”
From Middle English occupacioun, borrowed from Middle French occupacion, occupation, from Latin occupātiō, occupātiōnis, from occupō (“occupy, seize”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“to seize, grab”). By surface analysis, occupy + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.