pop·u·la·tion | \ ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən 
\
\Definition of population
1a : the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or region
b : the total of individuals occupying an area or making up a whole
c : the total of particles at a particular energy level
—used especially of atoms in a laser
2 : the act or process of populating
3a : a body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in common
b(1) : the organisms inhabiting a particular locality
(2) : a group of interbreeding organisms that represents the level of organization at which speciation begins
4 : a group of individual persons, objects, or items from which samples are taken for statistical measurement
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from population
populational \ ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shnəl , -shə-nᵊl \ adjective
, -shə-nᵊl \ adjectiveExamples of population in a Sentence
The world's population has increased greatly.
The city has experienced an increase in population.
There has been a sharp reduction in the bat population in this region.
the rural population of America
See More
Recent Examples on the Web Reintroduction efforts began in the 1950s, and the Continent’s bison population more than tripled to 6,200 between 2003 and 2019.
—
Lindsey Mcginnis, The Christian Science Monitor, "Points of Progress: Denmark ends hunt for oil deposits, and more," 8 Jan. 2021 Bridger said that while more than 1 million people — about 60 percent of the county’s population — are eligible to get the vaccine now, Bexar County has only received about 50,000 doses.
—
Andres Picon, ExpressNews.com, "San Antonio breaks COVID-19 hospitalization record for third time this week," 7 Jan. 2021 Some domestic workers, the largely low-income women from the Philippines and Indonesia who make up about 5 percent of Hong Kong’s population, may be out of work indefinitely because their employers do not want to pay for a 21-night stay.
—
Vivian Wang, New York Times, "A Quarantine Nightmare: Three Weeks in a Hotel, if You Can Find One," 6 Jan. 2021 Birth control is taboo in a country where 80% of the population identifies as Catholic.
—
David Pierson, Los Angeles Times, "The pandemic is fueling a baby boom in the Philippines. For some, that’s bad news," 6 Jan. 2021 The task force, convened by Whitmer in 2019, was charged with proposing ways to reduce Michigan’s jail population.
—
Angie Jackson, Detroit Free Press, "Whitmer signs bills to curb license suspensions, dozens of criminal justice reforms," 5 Jan. 2021 With 1 million people squeezed into 1,200 square miles, Rhode Island's population density is second only to New Jersey.
—
David Klepper, BostonGlobe.com, "This is why Rhode Island — the smallest state — has a big coronavirus challenge," 5 Jan. 2021 Figuring out which population groups should be vaccinated in which order to end the pandemic quickly.
—
Jonathan Vanian, Fortune, "How A.I. can speed up the COVID-19 vaccination drive," 5 Jan. 2021 Latinos make up 15% of the city’s population, but at least 30% of Muni ridership, the SFMTA’s Local Government Affairs Manager Joél Ramos told supervisors.
—
Mallory Moench, SFChronicle.com, "S.F. small business owner and accessibility advocate to help oversee Muni," 5 Jan. 2021
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'population.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for population
population
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of population
: the number of people who live in a place
: a group of people or animals of a particular kind that live in a place
See the full definition for population in the English Language Learners Dictionary
population
nounpop·u·la·tion | \ ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən \
\Kids Definition of population
1 : the whole number of people living in a country, city, or area
2 : a group of people or animals living in a certain place
the deer population
population
nounpop·u·la·tion | \ ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən \
\Medical Definition of population
1 : the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or region
2a : a body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in common
b(1) : the organisms inhabiting a particular locality
(2) : a group of interbreeding organisms that represents the level of organization at which speciation begins
3 : a group of individual persons, objects, or items from which samples are taken for statistical measurement
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on population
What made you want to look up population? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
- Which of the following refers to thin, bending ice, or to the act of running over such ice?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Words of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quiz - Name that Thing: Toys and Games Edition
It's all fun and games until someone beats your h...
Take the quiz - Name That Thing
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question ...
Take the quiz - SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share population
Time Traveler for population
The first known use of population was in 1612
See more words from the same year