as in crowded
formal
having a large population
a populous seaport the most populous state in the U.S.
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Recent Examples of populous
While online betting is regulated in nearly 40 states with easy access also available for mobile betting, the three most populous states in the U.S. do not offer betting at U.S. Sportsbooks—California, Texas and Florida.
—
Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
In many of sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous countries, foreign aid is fairly small relative to the economy: 2-4 percent of national income in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
—Dylan Matthews, Vox, 28 Mar. 2025
For example, in Kalamata, the second most populous city in the region, an expat could rent a 750-square-foot apartment for as low as $530 per month.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2025
Maine, one of the nation’s least populous states, has recently found itself at the center of the nation’s debate over trans athletes.
—Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
Jay Ginsbach, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
In many of sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous countries, foreign aid is fairly small relative to the economy: 2-4 percent of national income in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
—Dylan Matthews, Vox, 28 Mar. 2025
For example, in Kalamata, the second most populous city in the region, an expat could rent a 750-square-foot apartment for as low as $530 per month.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 26 Mar. 2025
Maine, one of the nation’s least populous states, has recently found itself at the center of the nation’s debate over trans athletes.
—Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
Cite this Entry
“Populous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/populous. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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