overpopulate
verb
over·pop·u·late
ˌō-vər-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 
overpopulated; overpopulating; overpopulates
: to populate too densely : furnish or provide with more than the environment or market will bear
: to become overly populous
Examples of overpopulate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The invasive—and drastically overpopulating—species prevailed over the scientists’ 20-year electric culling campaign by evolving to grow faster and spawn younger.
—
Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2025
This kind of management doesn’t work as well in places like southern Michigan, however, where deer herds are overpopulated in many farms and neighborhoods.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2025
There’s evidence to suggest smoking could directly reduce your levels of helpful Lactobacillus bacteria, allowing for the BV-causing bugs to overpopulate.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 27 Feb. 2025
Plucking sponges from the reef prevents the glassy invertebrates from overpopulating and creates gaps in the reef where young corals can attach and grow.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for overpopulate
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Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2025
This kind of management doesn’t work as well in places like southern Michigan, however, where deer herds are overpopulated in many farms and neighborhoods.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2025
There’s evidence to suggest smoking could directly reduce your levels of helpful Lactobacillus bacteria, allowing for the BV-causing bugs to overpopulate.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 27 Feb. 2025
Plucking sponges from the reef prevents the glassy invertebrates from overpopulating and creates gaps in the reef where young corals can attach and grow.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for overpopulate
Cite this Entry
“Overpopulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpopulate. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overpopulate
verb
over·pop·u·late
-ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt
: to populate too densely : cause to have too great a population
the city was overpopulated and polluted
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