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

But the characters unfold before us in their exchanges, and the play makes room for the actors to inhabit the complexities and contradictions of lives caught in the vise of history. —Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026

Around another corner is Hagar in the Wilderness (1875), still inhabiting the wasteland around her after being scorned by Abraham. —Tyehimba Jess, ARTnews.com, 17 Apr. 2026

That balance between structure and freedom is what allows Larter to fully inhabit Angela. —Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026

The Garrick’s 732-seat house is a markedly different proposition from the 1,400-seat Broadway venue where Kind first inhabited the role – and from the 180-seat Menier Chocolate Factory where this production was originally developed. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Apr. 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