-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
overpopulation
noun
over·pop·u·la·tion
ˌō-vər-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən
: 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
Monitoring China's 'Monster Ship' Russia's Gender Pay Gap Reaches 20-Year High
With more than 9 million residents, Tehran has long dealt with overpopulation as well as air pollution, with the capital being one of the worst-polluted cities in the world.
—
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
In the early 2000s, the family saw what overpopulation and over-tourism did to the natural beauty of Ios’s surrounding islands.
—
Alessandra Amodio, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2024
Jail grapples with overpopulation and mental health needs Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta, is the largest county in the state.
—
Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 23 Aug. 2023
During his inauguration speech, Hochman repeated his campaign promises to balance criminal justice reform and public safety and called California’s overpopulation in prisons a systemic failure.
—
Koko Nakajima, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overpopulation ![](/dist-cross-dungarees/2025-02-13--18-07-00-xk8pp/images/svg/redesign/arrow-right-exemplar.svg)
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.
Word History
First Known Use
1802, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near overpopulation
Cite this Entry
“Overpopulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpopulation. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
overpopulation
noun
over·pop·u·la·tion
-ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən
: 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
: the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, an impaired quality of life, or a population crash
More from Merriam-Webster on overpopulation
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about overpopulation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share