occupation

noun

ˌä-kyə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce occupation (audio)
Definition of occupationnext
1
as in profession
the activity by which one regularly makes a living my primary occupation is stockbroker, but I'm a drummer in a rock band on the weekends

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in occupancy
the act or fact of residing in a place occupation of a condemned building is illegal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun occupation differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of occupation are business, calling, employment, métier, pursuit, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

In what contexts can business take the place of occupation?

While in some cases nearly identical to occupation, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When can calling be used instead of occupation?

The words calling and occupation can be used in similar contexts, but calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When might employment be a better fit than occupation?

While the synonyms employment and occupation are close in meaning, employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When is it sensible to use métier instead of occupation?

The words métier and occupation are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

Where would pursuit be a reasonable alternative to occupation?

The synonyms pursuit and occupation are sometimes interchangeable, but pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When would work be a good substitute for occupation?

Although the words work and occupation have much in common, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of occupation Someone came up to me after the screening [in Karlovy Vary] and said this film reminded them of their own parents during the occupation of the Czech Republic during the Second World War. —Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 13 July 2025 The program offers personalized occupation assessments, transportation support, competitive pay and community job placements for people with developmental disabilities, who have finished high school and seeking first-time work, officials said. —Alexandra Crosnoe, Oc Register, 12 July 2025 While there are events in the film that can be read as parallels to Israel’s occupation of Palestine, the movie’s geopolitical allusions aren’t quite so specific. —Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 11 July 2025 The son of Jewish parents in Poland, Kosiński had survived the Nazi occupation and Holocaust. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for occupation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occupation
  1. profession
  2. occupancy
  3. vocation
  4. habitation
  5. employment
  6. residency
  7. work
Noun
  • Moreover, his commitment to the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship demonstrates respect for a key tenet of the profession of medicine.
    — Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Any profession can corrupt its practitioners — and arts critics are no exception.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025
Definition of profession
Noun
  • This is up from the 79 percent yard occupancy rate at the end of June.
    — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 14 July 2025
  • In addition to the continuation of the grocery tax, Aurora is also proposing doubling its hotel occupancy tax rate of 3%.
    — R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
Definition of occupancy
Noun
  • At another show at Spokane’s annual fall folk fest in November, no one in attendance at the community college auditorium appeared to recognize Thompson from his primary vocation.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 10 July 2025
  • With Bill Hader voicing the Cat, the new film expands the story of Dr. Seuss' beloved character, taking us into his world and riffing on the notion that showing children how to have fun and grow their confidence is actually his vocation.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker Published, EW.com, 1 July 2025
Definition of vocation
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the prospect that asteroid orbits may be deliberately changed for research and mining, or in the future, by habitation, has gained the attention of a student team from Imperial College London, the University of Santiago de Compostela and Cairo University.
    — Leonard David, Space.com, 12 July 2025
  • Set on a 1,200-acre estate, this remote nature resort (which opened in 2022 with a modernist bathhouse and beachfront baths) may seem like the only hint of human habitation around—but the site has deep roots in Icelandic history.
    — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 28 June 2025
Definition of habitation
Noun
  • Robust absorption: The city continues to attract new tenants, benefiting from higher office utilization rates and faster office employment growth than most other metros.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
  • The mechanisms of diversion have evolved, becoming more sophisticated—employment schemes, militias establishing NGO fronts, financial transfers, inflated contracts—but the U.N. response remains the same: brief suspensions, minor reshuffling, and a return to business as usual.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Definition of employment
Noun
  • Fortunately, Visas and permanent residency are not required to buy these €1 houses.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 July 2025
  • After her tour, Lopez will head to Las Vegas for a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, on Dec. 30 - Jan. 3, and March 6 - 28.
    — Rachel Raposas, People.com, 9 July 2025
Definition of residency
Noun
  • The property’s club floor rooms come with access to a private lounge that has an ever-changing buffet, a rotating selection of drinks, sitting areas, work stations, and changing rooms for those coming off or beginning a long travel day.
    — Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025
  • But the story is more about his work and his life and his relationship to his mother and his relationship to his mentor, Isabella Blow, in a very theatrical performance.
    — Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of work

Browse Nearby Words

occupants
occupation
occupations
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Cite this Entry

“Occupation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occupation. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

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