populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce populate (audio)
populated; populating
Synonyms of populatenext

transitive verb

1
: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit
Strange creatures populate the deep ocean.
2
a
: to furnish or provide with inhabitants : people
… there were survivors, and their descendants populate the world today.—Walter Alvarez
b
: to provide with members

Synonyms of populate

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Examples of populate in a Sentence

Immigrants began to populate the area in the late 19th century. Strange creatures populate the ocean depths.
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.
In a world populated by people who have watched basketball games before, that could have been that. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 2 July 2026 Both are high-traffic areas near the Mall sure to be populated by many fireworks-seeking tourists this weekend. — Kelsey Ables, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026 The recipe immediately reminded us of the viral clear pies that have populated both social media and restaurant menus over the last few years. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 1 July 2026 In practice, that means AI is running the numbers, populating forms, surfacing options, and even suggesting installation dates. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for populate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin populātus, past participle of populāre "to provide with inhabitants,", derivative of Latin populus people entry 1

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of populate was in 1578

Rhymes for populate

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Browse Nearby Words

popular taste
populate
population
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Cite this Entry

“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populate. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

populate

verb
pop·​u·​late ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce populate (audio)
populated; populating
1
: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit
2
: to provide with inhabitants : people

More from Merriam-Webster on populate

Nglish: Translation of populate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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