depopulate

verb

de·​pop·​u·​late (ˌ)dē-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce depopulate (audio)
depopulated; depopulating; depopulates
Synonyms of depopulatenext

transitive verb

1
obsolete : ravage
2
: to reduce greatly the population of
depopulation
(ˌ)dē-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce depopulate (audio)
noun

Examples of depopulate in a Sentence

Large areas of the country had been depopulated by disease.
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.
On top of that, there is a clear attempt, and this was clear from last year, from the 2024 conflict, to depopulate the south. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026 Much of southern Lebanon has been both devastated by military strikes and depopulated. — Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026 The novel follows the life of Dylan, the daughter of a researcher, cast adrift on an earth that has been depopulated by war and environmental collapse. — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026 Much of Lebanon’s south – a largely Shiite-Muslim area with a strong Hezbollah presence – had already been left damaged and depopulated after more than two years of war with Israel. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for depopulate

Word History

Etymology

Latin depopulatus, past participle of depopulari, from de- + populari to ravage

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of depopulate was in 1548

Rhymes for depopulate

See All Rhymes for depopulate

Browse Nearby Words

depopularize
depopulate
depopulation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Depopulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depopulate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

depopulate

verb
de·​pop·​u·​late (ˈ)dē-ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce depopulate (audio)
: to reduce greatly the population of (as a city or region) by destroying or driving away the inhabitants
depopulated by plague
depopulation
(ˌ)dē-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce depopulate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on depopulate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for depopulate

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