populate

verb

ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce populate (audio)
Definition of populatenext
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 Known as the Gaspésie Tour, the 550-mile route passes by national and regional parks, idyllic viewpoints, legendary geological formations, and waters often populated by whales. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026 Black bears in Maryland are known to populate Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties. — Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Located 30 miles northeast of Atlanta, the community of around 30,000 is home to a walkable, historic downtown populated with local boutiques and businesses; a legendary theatre; and lots of great restaurants. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026 To create a feed, just type a description and let YouTube populate the page. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for populate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for populate
  1. inhabit
  2. people
Verb
  • The story focuses on a novelist who moves into a building, strangely inhabited only by woman – 13 of them.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026
  • How a spouse chooses to inhabit a highly visible but largely undefined role is visually articulated through their fashion.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of inhabit
Verb
  • The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Carson McCullers’ remarkable debut novel tells a story of the American South, one set in Georgia and peopled with a cast of characters that exist in a rich, layered, and challenging reality.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Today, this part of the South Side seems to be almost entirely peopled by Black families.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
Definition of people

Browse Nearby Words

popularizing
populate
populated
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Cite this Entry

“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populate. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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