overpopulation

over·pop·u·la·tion | \ ˌō-vər-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən

How to pronounce overpopulation (audio)

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Definition of overpopulation

: the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash

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Examples of overpopulation in a Sentence

He is studying the problem of deer overpopulation.

Recent Examples on the Web Santa Rosa Press-Democrat Animal advocates are divided on Bakersfield’s strategy for reducing rampant pet overpopulation. — Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: What really went down in the fight over the state’s new vaccine law," 23 Sep. 2019 In addition to worrying about overpopulation, climate change, economic collapse and war, some also fret about politics. — Washington Post, "At Fortitude Ranch, the cabin is for vacationing. The shelters are for surviving.," 9 Oct. 2019 The statements that authorities believe the men posted online share another obsession: overpopulation and environmental degradation. — Joel Achenbach, BostonGlobe.com, "Two mass murders a world apart share a common theme: ‘ecofascism’," 18 Aug. 2019 Sullivan said the goose overpopulation has inundated the city, leaving messy droppings, over-grazing plants, damaging the habitat and polluting the water. — Baltimore Sun, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland officials kill almost 400 geese as population booms," 8 July 2019 Both women, who have adopted dogs through Special Pals, said that animal overpopulation is a severe problem. — Karen Zurawski, Houston Chronicle, "Special Pals marks 40 years," 21 Aug. 2019 And overpopulation can contribute to such social and environmental problems as global warming, resource depletion, pollution, overcrowding, malnutrition, gender inequality and the spread of deadly disease. — Erin Davis And Brandon Griggs, CNN, "The world's population is nearing 8 billion. That's not great news," 11 July 2019 But overpopulation kicked in and the old bodies had to be dug up to make room for fresh corpses. — Caitlin Morton, Condé Nast Traveler, "Creepy Catacombs, Islands of Dolls, and 18 Other Terrifying Places for Thrill Seekers," 4 Sep. 2019 Bangladesh, struggling with overpopulation and poverty, wants to reassure its citizens that scarce funds are not being diverted to refugees. — New York Times, "Massacred at Home, in Misery Abroad, 730,000 Rohingya Are Mired in Hopelessness," 22 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overpopulation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

7 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Overpopulation.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpopulation. Accessed 13 December 2019.

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More Definitions for overpopulation

overpopulation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of overpopulation

: a situation in which too many people or animals live in a certain area

See the full definition for overpopulation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

overpopulation

over·pop·u·la·tion | \ ˌō-vər-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən

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Kids Definition of overpopulation

: the condition of having too many people living in a certain area

overpopulation

over·pop·u·la·tion | \ ˌō-vər-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən

\

Medical Definition of overpopulation

: the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash

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easily led, controlled, or managed

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