as in crowded
formal
having a large population
a populous seaport the most populous state in the U.S.
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Recent Examples of populous
Ethiopia, the continent’s second most populous nation with a population of 120 million, sees the $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on a tributary of the Nile as central to its economic ambitions.
—
CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
That includes Miami-Dade, the most-populous county in the state and the place that Democrats long relied on to help bolster their statewide vote counts.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous city in the country and the most heavily populated city in the state of Pennsylvania.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The nation's most populous states, California and Texas, do not offer legal sports betting.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
That includes Miami-Dade, the most-populous county in the state and the place that Democrats long relied on to help bolster their statewide vote counts.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous city in the country and the most heavily populated city in the state of Pennsylvania.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The nation's most populous states, California and Texas, do not offer legal sports betting.
—Contessa Brewer, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for populous
Adjective
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Teixeira is aiming to stand out in what will likely be a crowded GOP field.—
Taylor Millard,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
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Mayor Eric Adams, in joining supporters of a ban, cited safety concerns in the increasingly crowded green space, including incidents in recent years of horses collapsing and dying on the job or breaking free from their drivers and running loose in the park.—
Philip Marcelo,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Much of the Southeast, especially the southern Appalachians, remains on track for an on-time and vibrant peak foliage.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
16 Sep. 2025
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Among the 35 hues are trendy cool tones, conventional nudes, vibrant reds, and bold, creative colors like magenta and blackish-purple.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Populous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populous. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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