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population explosion
noun
: a pyramiding of numbers of a biological population
especially
: the recent great increase in human numbers resulting from increased survival and exponential population growth
Examples of population explosion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Global fertility has plunged since the population explosion in the 1960s.
—Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024
Their numbers vary from year to year, with population explosions occurring every few years, says Owen.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 July 2024
Our precious national park is being drained due to housing construction and the population explosion.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2024
While a catastrophic population explosion used to seem inevitable, women’s increasing levels of education and reproductive freedom have staved off some of the worst predictions of the 20th century.
—F.d. Flam, The Mercury News, 22 June 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1903, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of population explosion was
in 1903
Dictionary Entries Near population explosion
Cite this Entry
“Population explosion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/population%20explosion. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Medical Definition
population explosion
noun
: a pyramiding of numbers of a biological population
especially
: the recent great increase in human numbers resulting from both increased survival and exponential population growth
More from Merriam-Webster on population explosion
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about population explosion
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