overpopulation

noun

over·​pop·​u·​la·​tion ˌō-vər-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce overpopulation (audio)
: the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash

Examples of overpopulation in a Sentence

He is studying the problem of deer overpopulation.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
From March 9 to 15, organizations participated in the Chicagoland Humane Coalition Outdoor Cat Spay and Neuter Tour, a first-of-its-kind collaborative way to address community cat overpopulation. Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026 His daily signoff about spaying and neutering pets became a cultural fixture, and his activism helped elevate issues like animal overpopulation into the mainstream. Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2026 The agency, which operates 10 prisons around the state, has contracted with out-of-state prisons to address overpopulation issues for several years. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026 Years of overpopulation, however, have had severe effects on the local environment. Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overpopulation

Word History

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpopulation was in 1762

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overpopulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpopulation. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

overpopulation

noun
over·​pop·​u·​la·​tion -ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce overpopulation (audio)
: the condition of having too many people living in a certain area

Medical Definition

overpopulation

noun
over·​pop·​u·​la·​tion ˌō-vər-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce overpopulation (audio)
: the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash
overpopulated adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on overpopulation

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster