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

Of course, this is no small achievement as the category is populated with many of the best artists in the business, each deserving of recognition. —Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Feb. 2025

This year’s race has never had a stable front-runner; instead, it’s populated by smaller, more polarizing movies, each vulnerable under the scrutiny of the Oscar spotlight. —Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2025

Additionally, crowd scenes, whether outside in parks and streets, or inside at parties are unnaturally sparsely populated. —Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 5 Feb. 2025

The show follows Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, who is investigating shape-shifting alien Skrulls who have populated Earth. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 4 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

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