populous
adjective
pop·u·lous
ˈpä-pyə-ləs 
1
a
: densely populated
b
: having a large population
2
a
: numerous
b
: filled to capacity
populously
adverb
populousness
noun
Did you know?
With a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people, Mexico City could be called the world's second or third most populous city. And the nearby Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world even when Hernán Cortés arrived there in 1519. But by the time Cortés conquered the city in 1521 it wasn't nearly so populous, since European diseases had greatly reduced the population. Avoid confusing populous and populace, which are pronounced exactly the same.
Examples of populous in a Sentence
the most populous state in the U.S.
Recent Examples on the Web
Direct flights have resumed between India and China after a five-year hiatus, the latest sign of warming relations between the world’s two most populous countries.
—
Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Nigeria, the most populous country with over 230 million people, wields significant cultural influence across the region and internationally.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinians.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
It is celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous nation and the diaspora.
—Deepa Bharath, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
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Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Nigeria, the most populous country with over 230 million people, wields significant cultural influence across the region and internationally.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinians.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
It is celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous nation and the diaspora.
—Deepa Bharath, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
Cite this Entry
“Populous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populous. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
populous
adjective
pop·u·lous
ˈpäp-yə-ləs
: having a large population
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