The word "occupy" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as both a verb and a noun to mean "holding or controlling an area or space, either physically or metaphorically." For example: "The protesters occupied the town square to demand better wages."
Port operations now occupy only half the land area.
You can also observe the colonies of penguins, albatrosses and elephant seals that occupy the islands.
The Russians still occupy 20% of that country.
The prime minister, who warned of a "generational struggle" against a "poisonous and extremist ideology" that will last for the rest of his political lifetime, wrote: "I agree that we should avoid sending armies to fight or occupy.
A post-election protest has been planned to oust David Cameron from power by a group claiming that the Conservatives are planning to "occupy Downing Street" even if they do not win a majority.
If it's frustrating for him to see Michael Bradley's Toronto experience consolidating rather than threatening his USA place, or indeed Julio Cesar's position as number one keeper for the presumptive World Cup favorites being equally unaffected by his MLS sojourn, Defoe will have plenty to occupy him in the coming weeks to help his side compensate for the absence of those two.
I might want to occupy a public space and start having workshops around what this alternative society should look like and actually start creating it here and now.
"Unfortunately, the protesters had to be removed from central library on two occasions yesterday, after physically attempting to force their way into the building in order to occupy it, causing distress to children and families using the library as well as members of city council staff.
The city council said the ban came after protesters attempted to storm the central library and occupy the premises on Tuesday, distressing children and families.
The Greens now occupy the emancipationist political space that was once occupied by Labour.
One of the Love Activists told the Guardian: "We don't usually find proper washing facilities in the commercial premises we occupy.
