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Meaning & use

occupiers

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈɒkjupaɪəz/
US/ˈɑːkjupaɪərz/

“occupiers” is a form of “occupier”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    The people who live in or use a place, especially a house or building.

    Grammar: Plural of "occupier"; use it for more than one person, or use "occupier" for one.

    Patterns

    • the occupiers of a building
    • the current occupiers

    The new occupiers of the flat moved in last weekend.

    The landlord must give the occupiers written notice before entering.

    Previous occupiers had painted the kitchen a bright yellow.

  2. nounplural

    People who have taken control of a building, area, or country by force.

    Grammar: Often used in political or military news; singular is "occupier."

    Patterns

    • the occupiers of a territory
    • resist the occupiers

    The occupiers refused to leave the government building.

    Protesters called on the occupiers to end the sit-in peacefully.

    Local residents described life under the occupiers as difficult.

Word forms

singularoccupier

Common combinations

the occupiers of the building
The occupiers of the building agreed to talk with the police.
former occupiers
Former occupiers left some furniture behind in the attic.
the current occupiers
The current occupiers pay rent on the first of each month.
illegal occupiers
The court ordered the illegal occupiers to leave within a week.
the occupiers left
By morning, the occupiers had left the square.

Synonyms and how they differ

residents
Neutral and simply means people who live somewhere, without any legal or political sense.
tenants
Specifically people who pay rent to a landlord, which "occupiers" does not necessarily imply.
inhabitants
More formal and usually about a whole region or country rather than a single building.

Word family

occupy verb
To live in or take control of a place.
occupier noun
One person who lives in or takes control of a place.
occupation noun
The act of taking control of a place, or a person's job.
occupancy noun
The state of a building being used or lived in.

Commonly confused: occupiers or occupants?

occupiers vs occupants

Occupants simply means the people inside a place at a given time; occupiers often carries a legal or political meaning.

Practice

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