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.
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 

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpopulation was in 1802

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 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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