populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 

populated; populating

transitive verb

1

: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit

Strange creatures populate the deep ocean.

2

a

: to furnish or provide with inhabitants : people

… there were survivors, and their descendants populate the world today.

—Walter Alvarez

b

: to provide with members

Synonyms of populate

• inhabit
• people

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

He’s known for building intentional cracks and erosions into his works, which often reveal an interior geology of materials like crystals or gears, and more recently, labyrinth staircases populated with small figures, not unlike a surreal antique dollhouse. —Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 11 Mar. 2026

The spa Dubbed Lola’s Sanctuary, the spa, with its open-air cabanas or indoor treatment rooms, is reached by walking through an herb garden populated with lemongrass, hibiscus, and pandan. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026

Hard men populate Mojtaba’s inner circle. —Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026

Since then, crowds for their games have been populated by Japanese locals donning their jerseys, painting their faces, and chanting the Czech team name before each pitch their team throws or sees. —Sam Blum, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for populate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

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