ENGLISH
REFERENCE

occupied

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɑkjəˌpaɪd// UK //ˈɒkjʊpˌaɪd// oc·cu·pied

v. busy doing something or being used by someone else. If a room or seat is occupied, it is not free for you to use.

v. being in use by someone or busy with a particular activity. Often used to describe physical spaces like bathrooms or seats, or a person's mental state and time.


SIMPLE

I am sorry, but this seat is already occupied.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager was too occupied with the budget crisis to attend the weekly team meeting.

COMPLEX

While the ground floor remained vacant for months, the upper apartments were fully occupied by students who appreciated the building's proximity to the university library.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'remain'. When describing a person, it is frequently followed by the preposition 'with'.

Pitfall

I am occupied to clean the houseI am occupied with cleaning the houseWhen 'occupied' means busy, it takes the preposition 'with' followed by a noun or gerund, not an infinitive.

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