inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈha-bət How to pronounce inhabit (audio)
inhabited; inhabiting; inhabits

transitive verb

1
: to occupy as a place of settled residence or habitat : live in
inhabit a small house
2
: to be present in or occupy in any manner or form
the human beings who inhabit this taleAl Newman

intransitive verb

archaic : to have residence in a place : dwell
inhabitable adjective
inhabiter noun

Examples of inhabit in a Sentence

Several hundred species of birds inhabit the island. This part of the country is inhabited by native tribes. There is a romantic quality that inhabits all her paintings. The novel is inhabited by a cast of eccentric characters.
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 other words, the billionaire both designs and inhabits delusions of grandeur. Brittany Allen july 10, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025 Because what really builds character is the expanded perspective that comes from inhabiting real (or real-enough) experiences that differ greatly from our own. Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025 Cordoba, Spain This city in the southern region of the Iberian peninsula offers an amalgam of history—it’s been inhabited at different periods by Roman, Islamic, and Christian populations, and each culture has left its stamp on Cordoba’s architecture, food, and art. Peter Terzian, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025 Similarly, Corenswet’s on-screen adversary inhabits the role of Lex with the blessing of Smallville alum Rosenbaum, who actually wound up voicing a role for Superman. Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for inhabit

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enhabiten, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French inhabiter, enhabiter, from Latin inhabitare, from in- + habitare to dwell, frequentative of habēre to have — more at give

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inhabit was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Inhabit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhabit. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

inhabit

verb
in·​hab·​it in-ˈhab-ət How to pronounce inhabit (audio)
: to live or dwell in
inhabitable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on inhabit

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