census
noun
cen·sus
ˈsen(t)-səs 
1
: a count of the population and a property evaluation in early Rome
2
: a usually complete enumeration of a population
specifically
: a periodic governmental enumeration of population
According to the latest U.S census, 16% of the population is of Hispanic or Latino origin.
census
transitive verb
Examples of census in a Sentence
According to the latest census, the racial makeup of the town has changed dramatically in the last 50 years.
a thorough census of all the grizzly bears living within the national park
Recent Examples on the Web
The big picture: Nearly 18% of U.S. adults aged 25-34 were living in a parent's home as of 2023, per a Pew Research Center analysis of census data.
—
Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 22 Apr. 2025
The median gross rent in Kansas City is around $1,200 with utilities, according to the most recent census data.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Large cities, like New York City and Los Angeles, as well as state capitals in Texas and Florida, saw significant population decreases during the pandemic, but new census data has revealed that U.S. cities are showing regular increases over the last few years.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
The majority of adult Medi-Cal recipients under 65 work, according to a KFF review of March 2024 census data.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for census
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 22 Apr. 2025
The median gross rent in Kansas City is around $1,200 with utilities, according to the most recent census data.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Large cities, like New York City and Los Angeles, as well as state capitals in Texas and Florida, saw significant population decreases during the pandemic, but new census data has revealed that U.S. cities are showing regular increases over the last few years.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
The majority of adult Medi-Cal recipients under 65 work, according to a KFF review of March 2024 census data.
—Kff Health News, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for census
Cite this Entry
“Census.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/census. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
census
noun
cen·sus
ˈsen(t)-səs
: a counting of the population (as of a country, city, or town) and a gathering of related statistics done by a government every so often
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share