people

verb

peopled; peopling ˈpē-p(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to supply or fill with people

2

: to dwell in : inhabit

Synonyms of people

• inhabit
• populate

Examples of people in a Sentence

a science-fiction novel about a mission to people Mars

Recent Examples on the Web

Ishaq has made a film peopled with women and boys who go beyond simple archetypes, setting joyful female solidarity against omnipresent conflict in a way designed to communicate with a broad demographic. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 May 2026

Hypocrisy, not rail spindles or dog poop, is top of the play’s agenda, and to poke around that subject the playwright has peopled his work with a collection of character types. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026

The characters who people the novel rise to speak for themselves. —Literary Hub, 16 Apr. 2026

The paradox of this quartet of movies up for the new casting Oscar, all boldly peopled with nonprofessionals, is that this very practice has become professionalized. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English peuplien, peoplen, in part borrowed from Anglo-French popler, poepler (derivative of pople, people people entry 1), in part derivative of peple, people people entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing people

• all things to all people/men
• a man of the people
• beautiful people
• boat people
• flower people
• good people
• if/had (two people's) situations been reversed
• little people
• man of the people
• of all people
• people carrier
• people mover
• people person
• people pleaser
• people pleasing
• people skills
• people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones
• re-people
• some people/guys have all the luck
• street people
• the people

Rhymes for people

• businesspeople
• craftspeople
• laypeople
• salespeople
• townspeople
• tradespeople
• workpeople
• people
• steeple

Kids Definition

people

1 of 2 noun

peo·​ple ˈpē-pəl 

plural people

1

plural : human beings, persons

—often used in compounds instead of persons

salespeople

2

plural : the members of a family : kindred

3

plural : the mass of a community as distinguished from a special class

4

plural peoples : a body of persons united by a common culture, tradition, or sense of kinship, and usually language

5

: the body of voters of a state

people

2 of 2 verb

peopled; peopling ˈpē-p(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to supply or fill with people

2

: inhabit