depopulate

verb

de·​pop·​u·​late (ˌ)dē-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 

depopulated; depopulating; depopulates

transitive verb

1

obsolete : ravage

2

: to reduce greatly the population of

depopulation

(ˌ)dē-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

Examples of depopulate in a Sentence

Large areas of the country had been depopulated by disease.

Recent Examples on the Web

All infected flocks will be depopulated, officials said. —Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2025

Infected markets will be depopulated, cleaned, and remain closed for at least five days until passing inspection. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 7 Feb. 2025

At the end of it stands Trump, which his loopy ideas about depopulating Gaza, owning it, and building magnificent resorts. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

Tens of thousands of Florida homeowners are receiving offers to switch from the state's insurer of last resort to private companies, as regulators' efforts to depopulate Citizens and stabilize the Sunshine State's property insurance market continue. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin depopulatus, past participle of depopulari, from de- + populari to ravage

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for depopulate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

depopulate

verb

de·​pop·​u·​late (ˈ)dē-ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt 

: to reduce greatly the population of (as a city or region) by destroying or driving away the inhabitants

depopulated by plague

depopulation

(ˌ)dē-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən 

noun