unoccupied

adjective

un·​oc·​cu·​pied ˌən-ˈä-kyə-ˌpīd How to pronounce unoccupied (audio)
Synonyms of unoccupiednext
: not occupied: such as
a
: not busy : unemployed
b
: not lived in : empty

Examples of unoccupied in a Sentence

About half of the seats were unoccupied when the concert started. A third of the beds at the hospital were unoccupied.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Wait until the plane is fully boarded and everyone has settled into their seats before jumping into an unoccupied seat. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Aug. 2026 View this post on Instagram Vargas was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center), and charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure and criminal mischief. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 Officers arrived to find multiple shell casings and an unoccupied vehicle that had been struck multiple times by gunfire. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 The impact caused the second vehicle to hit three unoccupied parked cars. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unoccupied

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unoccupied was in the 15th century

Rhymes for unoccupied

See All Rhymes for unoccupied

Browse Nearby Words

unoccupancy
unoccupied
unoffended
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unoccupied.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unoccupied. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

unoccupied

adjective
un·​oc·​cu·​pied ˌən-ˈäk-yə-ˌpīd How to pronounce unoccupied (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not busy : unemployed
2
: not occupied : empty

More from Merriam-Webster on unoccupied

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unoccupied

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