populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce populate (audio)
populated; populating

transitive verb

1
: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit
2
a
: to furnish or provide with inhabitants : people
b
: to provide with members

Examples of populate in a Sentence

Immigrants began to populate the area in the late 19th century. Strange creatures populate the ocean depths.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The West Wing’s White House represented a sacred workplace with gleaming wood and flattering lighting that was populated with smart people trying to do good for the country. Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 Oct. 2025 Related questions to your prompt are populated at the bottom of a response for an easy way to continue your research. PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025 Densely populated with cold, snowy winters, the Empire State has one of the oldest and most accessible networks of ski resorts in the country. Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025 According to the study, the proportion of young saguaros was 63% lower in areas populated with burros than areas with no burros. John Leos, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for populate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin populātus, past participle of populāre "to provide with inhabitants,", derivative of Latin populus people entry 1

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of populate was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

populate

verb
pop·​u·​late ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce populate (audio)
populated; populating
1
: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit
2
: to provide with inhabitants : people

More from Merriam-Webster on populate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!