as in crowded
formal
having a large population
a populous seaport the most populous state in the U.S.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 populous
Ethiopia, the continent’s second most populous nation with a population of 120 million, sees the $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on a tributary of the Nile as central to its economic ambitions.
—
CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
That includes Miami-Dade, the most-populous county in the state and the place that Democrats long relied on to help bolster their statewide vote counts.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous city in the country and the most heavily populated city in the state of Pennsylvania.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The nation's most populous states, California and Texas, do not offer legal sports betting.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
That includes Miami-Dade, the most-populous county in the state and the place that Democrats long relied on to help bolster their statewide vote counts.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous city in the country and the most heavily populated city in the state of Pennsylvania.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The nation's most populous states, California and Texas, do not offer legal sports betting.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for populous
Adjective
-
At first glance, Nam-Joon Cho’s lab at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University looks like your typical research facility—scientists toiling away, crowded workbenches, a hum of machinery in the background.—
Sandy Ong,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The company has been around for over four decades, and other big-name tech companies, such as IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon, have made the cloud services market more crowded than ever.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Much of the Southeast, especially the southern Appalachians, remains on track for an on-time and vibrant peak foliage.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Among the 35 hues are trendy cool tones, conventional nudes, vibrant reds, and bold, creative colors like magenta and blackish-purple.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Populous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populous. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share