populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 

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

Synonyms

• colonize
• people
• settle

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

Marketers selling the dream vacation populate their brochures with images from these picturesque locations. —Roger Dooley, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025

To strike a balance in protecting these critters while also proactively protecting your garden, focus on clearing areas where pests have a history of populating. —Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2025

The report populated Lauren's email before the doctors had a chance to gently deliver the news of the scans. —Staff Author, People.com, 21 Feb. 2025

Men across the country populated the hashtag with smiling images alongside vulnerable captions about personal growth and optimism. —Char Adams, NBC News, 20 Feb. 2025

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

Rhymes for populate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids Definition

populate

verb

pop·​u·​late ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt 

populated; populating

1

: to have a place in : occupy, inhabit

2

: to provide with inhabitants : people