populous
adjective
pop·u·lous
ˈpä-pyə-ləs 
1
a
: densely populated
b
: having a large population
2
a
: numerous
b
: filled to capacity
populously
adverb
populousness
noun
Did you know?
With a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people, Mexico City could be called the world's second or third most populous city. And the nearby Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world even when Hernán Cortés arrived there in 1519. But by the time Cortés conquered the city in 1521 it wasn't nearly so populous, since European diseases had greatly reduced the population. Avoid confusing populous and populace, which are pronounced exactly the same.
Examples of populous in a Sentence
the most populous state in the U.S.
Recent Examples on the Web
Houston is located in Southeast Texas and is one of the most populous cities in America, behind other major metros like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
—
Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025
Sanders did well among working-class voters and in the most populous states but ultimately had fewer delegates at the 2016 national convention than Hillary Clinton.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025
For nearly that long, Netherlands’ capital and most populous city has avoided public dialogue about Dutch peoples’ inhumane treatment of Black people during Dutch colonial history.
—Ron Stodghill, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
California, the most populous U.S. state with 39 million residents, has long been home to the most immigrants living in the country illegally, with 1.8 million, the report said.
—Jovi Dai, The Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2025
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Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025
Sanders did well among working-class voters and in the most populous states but ultimately had fewer delegates at the 2016 national convention than Hillary Clinton.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025
For nearly that long, Netherlands’ capital and most populous city has avoided public dialogue about Dutch peoples’ inhumane treatment of Black people during Dutch colonial history.
—Ron Stodghill, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
California, the most populous U.S. state with 39 million residents, has long been home to the most immigrants living in the country illegally, with 1.8 million, the report said.
—Jovi Dai, The Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for populous
Dictionary Entries Near populous
Cite this Entry
“Populous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populous. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
populous
adjective
pop·u·lous
ˈpäp-yə-ləs
: having a large population
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