POPULATE Synonyms: 8 Similar and Opposite Words

populate

verb

ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt

Definition of populate

as in to inhabit

to supply with inhabitants a small island populated only by woodland creatures

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of populate The primary setting of the show is Manhattan Plaza, a subsidized apartment complex populated by artists and musicians, where Ali finds a sense of community while navigating a strained relationship with her mother, Jersey, and a budding romance. — Maya Santiago, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 So all of those skills of storytelling now populate worlds in finance, in manufacturing, in trade, in public policy, in politics itself. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 You will also be asked to select your favorite sports teams, which will be used to help populate Gemini’s sports tab. — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The area is fairly sparsely populated, but radar indications suggest the tornado that touched down could have been strong. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for populate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for populate

Verb

This district was the heart of Rome’s Jewish and Syrian communities, inhabited for centuries by generations of immigrants from the eastern Mediterranean and their descendants.

— Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 17 Aug. 2026
Most of Chocó's 600,000 inhabitants live in poverty, according to figures published last year by Colombia’s national government, and it is largely inhabited by Indigenous tribes and Afro Colombian communities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of inhabit

Verb

Today, this part of the South Side seems to be almost entirely peopled by Black families.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
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

Definition of people

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popularizing

populate

populated

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“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populate. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of populate

verb

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