populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 

populated; populating

transitive verb

1

: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit

2

a

: to furnish or provide with inhabitants : people

b

: to provide with members

Synonyms

• colonize
• people
• settle

Examples of populate in a Sentence

Immigrants began to populate the area in the late 19th century.

Strange creatures populate the ocean depths.

Recent Examples on the Web

But she’s also been urged by some supporters to make an appearance on Fox News, populated by voices on the right, even though Baier is on the network’s news side. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2024

Today’s work world is populated with people from four different generations with people who embody diverse worldviews and attitudes about work. —Ruth Oh Reitmeier, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

But as part of a push into lands populated by ethnic minorities, the Chinese government has seeded Tibet and the neighboring Xinjiang region with new infrastructure. —New York Times, 11 Oct. 2024

In California, areas that are subject to wildfires that maybe weren’t populated in the past are populated now. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin populātus, past participle of populāre "to provide with inhabitants,", derivative of Latin populus people entry 1

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt 

populated; populating

1

: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit

2

: to provide with inhabitants : people