overpopulation

noun

over·pop·u·la·tion ˌō-vər-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən

: the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash

Example Sentences

He is studying the problem of deer overpopulation.

Recent Examples on the Web Remember when global elites worried about overpopulation? —

The Editorial Board, wsj.com, 16 Apr. 2023 Perhaps the most common concern is the potential for overpopulation, especially considering humanity’s long history of hoarding and squandering resources and the tremendous socioeconomic inequalities that already divide a world of nearly eight billion. —

New York Times, 28 Apr. 2021 There's a number of good reasons why overpopulation (and its toxic surrogate, immigration) is the third rail of American environmental discourse. —

Keith Kloor, Discover Magazine, 19 Feb. 2010 Instead, India addressed its fears of overpopulation and reduced the growth rate through more organic and gradual ways, including serious efforts to promote contraception and smaller families. —

Alex Travelli, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2023 And he’s consistently warned that overpopulation and climate change are existential threats to humanity. —

Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2021 China introduced its one-child policy more than 40 years ago to address overpopulation and alleviate poverty. —

Laura He, CNN, 31 May 2021 Our mission is to actively assist the community in reducing feline overpopulation. —

Dallas News, 14 Sep. 2021 Maryland's pony herd is managed by the U.S. National Park Service, while Chincoteague's is taken care of by the local volunteer fire company, which holds an annual pony swim and an auction fundraiser of the ponies the day after the swim to prevent overpopulation. —

The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overpopulation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.