as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants
a small island populated only by woodland creatures
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Recent Examples of populate
Sparsely populated, far from sources of terrestrial light pollution and high above most starlight-scattering clouds and atmospheric turbulence, the Atacama has sprouted multiple world-class observatories to take advantage of what are thought to be Earth’s darkest and clearest night skies.
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Katherine Helen Laliotis, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2025
There were the many members of Mr. Trump’s dynastic clan; the billionaire characters who populate his colorful entourage; foreign leaders; ex-presidents; and political nemeses who Mr. Trump had vanquished.
—Shawn McCreesh, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, the reductive approach to populating the town speaks to Hollywood’s own complicity in spreading falsehoods and manufacturing consent.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Yes, The Legend of Ochi looks amazingly, impressively real, but it’s populated by non-characters pursuing a nothing story.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for populate 
Katherine Helen Laliotis, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2025
There were the many members of Mr. Trump’s dynastic clan; the billionaire characters who populate his colorful entourage; foreign leaders; ex-presidents; and political nemeses who Mr. Trump had vanquished.
—Shawn McCreesh, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, the reductive approach to populating the town speaks to Hollywood’s own complicity in spreading falsehoods and manufacturing consent.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Yes, The Legend of Ochi looks amazingly, impressively real, but it’s populated by non-characters pursuing a nothing story.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for populate
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Cite this Entry
“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populate. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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