depopulate

verb

de·​pop·​u·​late (ˌ)dē-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce depopulate (audio)
depopulated; depopulating; depopulates

transitive verb

1
obsolete : ravage
2
: to reduce greatly the population of

Examples of depopulate in a Sentence

Large areas of the country had been depopulated by disease.
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.
Casualty tolerance in depopulating countries may also depend greatly on unforeseen contingent conditions—and may have surprising results. Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024 The fighting has displaced around 110,000 people in Lebanon, and about 60,000 in northern Israel, leaving both sides of the border depopulated. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2024 Many of these structures are now crumbling, the communes depopulated. Christine Ro, Longreads, 17 Sep. 2024 As small towns have depopulated, aged, and lost their economic base, their medical infrastructure has contracted in kind. Juliana Kim, NPR, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for depopulate 

Word History

Etymology

Latin depopulatus, past participle of depopulari, from de- + populari to ravage

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of depopulate was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near depopulate

Cite this Entry

“Depopulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depopulate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

depopulate

verb
de·​pop·​u·​late (ˈ)dē-ˈpäp-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce depopulate (audio)
: to reduce greatly the population of (as a city or region) by destroying or driving away the inhabitants
depopulated by plague

More from Merriam-Webster on depopulate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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