repopulate

verb

re·​pop·​u·​late (ˌ)rē-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce repopulate (audio)
repopulated; repopulating

transitive verb

: to populate (something) again
As cougars repopulate much of their former range, however, they are also encountering humans more frequently.William K. Stevens
… captive breeding programs are helping to repopulate endangered species.Mike Capuzzo
In modern times it was depopulated when distant city jobs attracted its people, then repopulated by city people.Jane Jacobs
Any new bone-marrow cells can survive and repopulate the recipient's defense apparatus provided the markers on the cell surfaces are the same as those of the donor.Lewis Thomas
repopulation noun
The first step is the repopulation of buffalo, the Plains' signature animal. Edmunds V. Bunkse
… even high total doses of radiation … may not be effective in controlling tumors capable of accelerated repopulation, since the rate of cell division may outpace that of cell loss stemming from treatment. Allen S. Lichter et al.

Examples of repopulate 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.
Bree is consumed by her conservation work with the Xenopus Frog species, committed to repopulating the very species used to make the first pregnancy tests for humans. Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025 Hoping to rebuild and repopulate the country, Nikita Khrushchev encouraged women to get married and have as many babies as possible, but there were no men left to marry. Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025 In the early 2000s, the Huffington Post published a story about Garnet, stating that the Department of the Interior was looking for folks to repopulate the town. Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 16 Oct. 2025 Kathy Moran, chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury, said that the image showed how wildlife had repopulated a town abandoned by humans. Jack Guy, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for repopulate

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of repopulate was in 1588

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Cite this Entry

“Repopulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repopulate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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