populate
verb
pop·u·late
ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 
populated; populating
2
a
: to furnish or provide with inhabitants : people
b
: to provide with members
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
Nico Gonzalez and Manuel Ugarte will be the young pups in midfields largely populated by players in their thirties.
—
Carl Anka, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Instead of big-name free agents and superstars, the roster was populated with up-and-coming talent including eccentric first baseman Triston Casas, ultra-intense budding superstar Jarren Duran and ascending ace Brayan Bello.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025
The board should prioritize avoiding cuts in the classrooms, Fusco said, especially since teachers faced layoffs last year regardless of how populated their schools are.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
Also baffling were the tariffs placed on Heard and McDonald Islands, which are mainly populated by penguins.
—Time, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populate
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.
Carl Anka, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
Instead of big-name free agents and superstars, the roster was populated with up-and-coming talent including eccentric first baseman Triston Casas, ultra-intense budding superstar Jarren Duran and ascending ace Brayan Bello.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2025
The board should prioritize avoiding cuts in the classrooms, Fusco said, especially since teachers faced layoffs last year regardless of how populated their schools are.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2025
Also baffling were the tariffs placed on Heard and McDonald Islands, which are mainly populated by penguins.
—Time, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populate
Cite this Entry
“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
populate
verb
pop·u·late
ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt
populated; populating
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share