occupation

occupation — noun

1. the work that someone does to earn a living, usually written on forms next to yo

1.nounA2
Definition

the work that someone does to earn a living, usually written on forms next to your name and address.

Example

Please write your name, age, and occupation on the green form.

form-filling context: 'name, age, and occupation'

Maya's occupation is nurse, and she works at the children's hospital in Taipei.

pattern: someone's occupation is [job]

Common collocations
  • by occupation
  • main occupation
  • change your occupation
  • list your occupation
Synonyms
  • job

    more everyday and conversational; 'occupation' sounds more formal.

  • profession

    suggests work needing long training or qualifications, like law or medicine.

  • career

    covers a whole working life, not just current paid work.

Grammar Patterns

by occupation

occupation as [job title]

Usage Note

Often appears on forms and official documents where 'job' would feel too casual. Frequently used with 'by' to state someone's profession (a doctor by occupation).

Common Mistakes

My occupation is to teach English.
My occupation is teaching English.
use a noun or -ing form after 'is', not 'to' + verb.

2. something you do to fill your free time and keep yourself busy, especially when

2.nounC1
Definition

something you do to fill your free time and keep yourself busy, especially when it is not your paid work.

Example

Painting watercolours has been Grandma's favourite occupation since she retired.

collocation: favourite occupation

Reading detective novels is a pleasant occupation for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

pattern: [activity] is a [adjective] occupation

Common collocations
  • favourite occupation
  • pleasant occupation
  • harmless occupation
  • quiet occupation
Synonyms
  • pastime

    near synonym; emphasises pleasure rather than just filling time.

  • hobby

    more everyday word; suggests a regular interest pursued seriously.

  • pursuit

    more formal; often used for activities needing skill or effort.

Grammar Patterns

a [adjective] occupation

Usage Note

Subject is usually an activity or -ing form, not a person. Often appears with adjectives showing how the activity feels (pleasant, quiet, harmless, favourite). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is unpaid and chosen for enjoyment.

Common Mistakes

My occupation is reading.' (when meaning a hobby)
Reading is my favourite occupation.
sense 2 typically puts the activity in the subject position.

3. the situation where the army of one country has entered another country and is r

3.nounC2
Definition

the situation where the army of one country has entered another country and is ruling it by force.

Example

France lived under German occupation for four long years during the Second World War.

fixed phrase: 'under occupation'

The Roman occupation of Britain lasted nearly four centuries before the soldiers withdrew.

pattern: occupation of [place]

Common collocations
  • under occupation
  • foreign occupation
  • military occupation
  • end the occupation
Synonyms
  • invasion

    stresses the moment of entering by force; occupation is the longer state that follows.

  • conquest

    more historical; emphasises winning territory through war.

Antonyms
  • liberation

    the act of freeing a place from foreign military control.

  • withdrawal

    the moment foreign troops leave the occupied area.

Grammar Patterns

under occupation

occupation of [place]

Usage Note

Almost always uncountable and usually preceded by 'the' or a defining adjective (the German occupation, foreign occupation). Frequently followed by 'of' + place name. Distinguish from sense 4: this sense involves military force and a hostile takeover, not peaceful living.

Common Mistakes

There was an occupation in Korea.
Korea was under occupation during this period.
'under occupation' is the natural set phrase; using 'an' makes it sound like sense 1.

4. the formal state of someone holding, residing in, or making use of a house, flat

4.nounC2
Definition

the formal state of someone holding, residing in, or making use of a house, flat, or plot of land, especially as set out in a contract or property record.

Example

The new flats will be ready for occupation by tenants in early September.

fixed phrase: 'ready for occupation'

The old farmhouse has been in continuous occupation by the same family for six generations.

collocation: continuous occupation

Common collocations
  • ready for occupation
  • take occupation of
  • continuous occupation
  • fit for occupation
Synonyms
  • occupancy

    very close in meaning; preferred in hotel and building-capacity contexts.

  • tenancy

    narrower; refers specifically to renting under a contract.

  • residence

    stresses the home aspect; less about the legal right to use.

Antonyms
  • vacancy

    the state of a property being empty and unused.

Grammar Patterns

occupation of [building]

ready for occupation

Usage Note

Mainly appears in legal, rental, or estate-agent writing. Subject is usually a building, flat, or piece of land rather than a country. Distinguish from sense 3: no military force is involved; the focus is peaceful, often paid, residence or use.

Common Mistakes

I started my occupation of the apartment last week.' (in casual speech)
I moved into the apartment last week.
sense 4 is formal; use 'move in' in everyday talk.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These five words all describe paid work, but they fit different boxes on a form. 'Occupation' is the neutral, slightly formal label you write on official documents — passports, tax forms, surveys. 'Job' is the everyday word for the same thing in conversation: 'What's your job?' sounds natural; 'What's your occupation?' sounds like a clerk talking. 'Profession' suggests work that needs years of training, a licence, or a degree, such as law, medicine, or teaching. 'Career' looks at the whole arc of someone's working life, including promotions and changes between roles. 'Trade' usually means a skilled manual job learned through practice or apprenticeship, like plumbing or carpentry. So a plumber's job is to fix the sink, plumbing is her trade, and her overall career has been in plumbing — yet on a tax form, she simply writes 'plumber' next to 'occupation'.

occupation ↗job ↗profession ↗career ↗trade ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • occupation forces
  • occupation zone
  • occupation rate

Phrases

  • state your occupation
  • list of occupations
  • ready for occupation
  • end the occupation

Prepositions

  • by occupation
  • under occupation
  • in occupation of

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

Reaches modern English through Old French 'occupacion', drawn from Latin 'occupatio', which came from the verb 'occupare' meaning to seize or take hold of. The two halves are 'ob-' (towards, against) and 'capere' (to take). The original idea of taking hold of something split into the senses we use today: taking hold of a piece of land became the military and property meanings, while taking hold of someone's time and attention became the work and pastime meanings.