as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants
a small island populated only by woodland creatures
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of populate
The stories that populate his latest album, 2025’s Interior Live Oak, will take their turn in the spotlight when the singer-songwriter brings them on the road this year.
—
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Soon after, the weapon used is traced back to Sverre Olsen (Arthur Hakalahti), a young arms dealer operating in a downtown warehouse populated by the city’s underworld and, according to the 70 percent assurance of face recognition expert Beate (Ellen Helinder), a familiar presence within the force.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
But there are still a number of similarities between the two successful drama series that are laced with dark comedy and populated with sympathetic criminals.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
The roster is again populated with newcomers.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for populate
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Soon after, the weapon used is traced back to Sverre Olsen (Arthur Hakalahti), a young arms dealer operating in a downtown warehouse populated by the city’s underworld and, according to the 70 percent assurance of face recognition expert Beate (Ellen Helinder), a familiar presence within the force.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026
But there are still a number of similarities between the two successful drama series that are laced with dark comedy and populated with sympathetic criminals.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Mar. 2026
The roster is again populated with newcomers.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for populate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for populate
Verb
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The filmmaker weaves together the current fights for not only the land, but also for the women who inhabit the land.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Mar. 2026
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The novel does not offer the reader a character to comfortably inhabit or a moral to extract.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The paradox of this quartet of movies up for the new casting Oscar, all boldly peopled with nonprofessionals, is that this very practice has become professionalized.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
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Why can’t people RSVP properly for goodness’ sake?—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populate. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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