inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈha-bət 

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 tale …

—Al Newman

intransitive verb

archaic : to have residence in a place : dwell

inhabitable

in-ˈha-bə-tə-bəl 

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

Even in smaller supporting parts, Neill had an uncanny ability to make a film feel richer simply by inhabiting its world with complete conviction. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 July 2026

Many are fully inhabited, giving travelers a rare view of rural Amazigh culture. — Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Barentsburg, a mining and research outpost on Svalbard, is inhabited almost completely by Russians and is watched over by a huge bust of Vladimir Lenin. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

The set not only helped Wilde to build the world of the film, but also to inhabit Angela, whose shirt was chosen by costumer designer Arianne Phillips to match the paint Healy selected. — Emily Zemler, Architectural Digest, 10 July 2026

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

Rhymes for inhabit

• cohabit
• jackrabbit
• abbot
• habit
• rabbit
• sabot
• shabbat

Kids Definition

inhabit

verb

in·​hab·​it in-ˈhab-ət 

: to live or dwell in

inhabitable

-ət-ə-bəl 

adjective