What does "squatter" mean?
One who squats; one who sits down idly.
Squatter
/ˈskwɑ.təɹ/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who squats; one who sits down idly.
- Grammar: squatter is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: adverse possessor, arriviste, colonial, colonist.
- Useful contrasts: landlord, landowner, owner.
- Usage evidence: For a time, he was a squatter in the abandoned building down the street.
How to use "squatter"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "squatter" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "squatter" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "squatter" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "squatter" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "squatter" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adverse possessor" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "squatter", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who squats; one who sits down idly.
"“I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera,[…]the chlorotic squatters on huge yachts, the speed-mad fugitives from the furies of ennui, the neurotic victims of mental cirrhosis, the jewelled animals whose moral code is the code of the barnyard—!""
- 2 someone who settles on land without right or title wordnet
- 3 One who occupies a building or land without title or permission.; One who occupied Crown land. Australia, historical
"While settlement in New South Wales was initially confined, many moved outside the boundaries to become squatters, eventually consolidating their originally illegal hold on the land."
- 4 someone who settles lawfully on government land with the intent to acquire title to it wordnet
- 5 One who occupies a building or land without title or permission.; A poor vagrant; a hobo or beggar; one suffering from extreme poverty. Philippines
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A large-scale grazier and landowner. Australia, historical
"Down came the squatter, a'riding his thoroughbred, / Down came policemen, one, two and three. /'Whose is the jumbuck you've got in the tucker bag? / You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me.'"
- 7 A squat toilet. informal
"All of the toilets in both the men's and women's sides were squatters."
Adjective
- 1 comparative form of squat: more squat comparative, form-of
"Nearer at hand, to the left of a huge block (a telephone exchange) and over the top of another, lower, survivor of the blitz, rises the pinnacled tower of St. Alban's Church, and just to the left a glimpse can be obtained of the top of the squatter tower of St. Mary's Aldermanbury."
Example
"For a time, he was a squatter in the abandoned building down the street."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "squatter"?
Common synonyms include: adverse possessor, arriviste, colonial, colonist, colonizer, emigrant.
How do you use "squatter" in a sentence?
For a time, he was a squatter in the abandoned building down the street.
How do you pronounce "squatter"?
Pronounced /ˈskwɑ.təɹ/.
Etymology
From squat + -er.