overpopulate

verb

over·​pop·​u·​late ˌō-vər-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce overpopulate (audio)
overpopulated; overpopulating; overpopulates

transitive verb

: to populate too densely : furnish or provide with more than the environment or market will bear

intransitive verb

: to become overly populous

Examples of overpopulate in a Sentence

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.
Macmanus slightly overplays his hand and slightly overpopulates the show’s world. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2025 Plucking sponges from the reef prevents the glassy invertebrates from overpopulating and creates gaps in the reef where young corals can attach and grow. — Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024 Both are overpopulated with feral and stray animals due to this lack of population management. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 June 2026 This kind of management doesn’t work as well in places like southern Michigan, however, where deer herds are overpopulated in many farms and neighborhoods. — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overpopulate

Word History

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpopulate was in 1828

Browse Nearby Words

overpole
overpopulate
overpopulation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

overpopulate

verb
over·​pop·​u·​late -ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce overpopulate (audio)
: to populate too densely : cause to have too great a population
the city was overpopulated and polluted
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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