repopulate

verb

re·​pop·​u·​late (ˌ)rē-ˈpä-pyə-ˌlāt 

repopulated; repopulating

transitive verb

: to populate (something) again

As cougars repopulate much of their former range, however, they are also encountering humans more frequently.

—William K. Stevens

… captive breeding programs are helping to repopulate endangered species.

—Mike Capuzzo

In modern times it was depopulated when distant city jobs attracted its people, then repopulated by city people.

—Jane Jacobs

Any new bone-marrow cells can survive and repopulate the recipient's defense apparatus provided the markers on the cell surfaces are the same as those of the donor.

—Lewis Thomas

repopulation

(ˌ)rē-ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

The first step is the repopulation of buffalo, the Plains' signature animal.

—Edmunds V. Bunkse

… even high total doses of radiation … may not be effective in controlling tumors capable of accelerated repopulation, since the rate of cell division may outpace that of cell loss stemming from treatment.

—Allen S. Lichter et al.

Examples of repopulate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If pumas were to be repopulated along the East Coast, these animals would likely be taken from the Western part of the country. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

And so while other Israelis mourned, the hard right went to work, methodically building a political movement to retake the Gaza Strip, annex it, and repopulate it with Jewish settlements. —Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025

Proposing to repopulate such a hazardous facility — especially one DOC is not legally entitled to operate — is not a solution. —Darren MacK, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025

Throughout the tour, we were reminded again and again that this is a safe haven, not only to help endangered species repopulate and live longer, but to ensure that the animals are as comfortable and content as possible. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 30 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for repopulate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate