as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants
a small island populated only by woodland creatures
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of populate
The region out past Neptune is populated by billions of icy, rocky bodies called trans-Neptunian objects (or TNOs) left over from the solar system’s formation.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
If a store has been buying Petaluma Creamery two-pound cheddar on a consistent cycle for years, the AI pre-populates the order.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 May 2026
The team behind this new research suggests that if two black holes merge in a region of space populated by dense dark matter clouds, then the gravitational waves emerging from the event could carry the imprint of dark matter across the universe.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 May 2026
What’s exciting, says Evan Spiridellis, is that Gripp’s catalog has no pre-existing visuals, with YouTube videos of his songs populated with fan art.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for populate
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
If a store has been buying Petaluma Creamery two-pound cheddar on a consistent cycle for years, the AI pre-populates the order.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 May 2026
The team behind this new research suggests that if two black holes merge in a region of space populated by dense dark matter clouds, then the gravitational waves emerging from the event could carry the imprint of dark matter across the universe.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 15 May 2026
What’s exciting, says Evan Spiridellis, is that Gripp’s catalog has no pre-existing visuals, with YouTube videos of his songs populated with fan art.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for populate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for populate
Verb
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Bendis also penned a story centered on Sulu after an encounter with George Takei, the actor who inhabited the character.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
19 May 2026
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Talagrand was interested in shapes inhabiting hundreds or billions of dimensions—or even more.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Hypocrisy, not rail spindles or dog poop, is top of the play’s agenda, and to poke around that subject the playwright has peopled his work with a collection of character types.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
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The characters who people the novel rise to speak for themselves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Populate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populate. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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