depopulate Definition
to remove or reduce the population of a place or region.
Using depopulate: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "depopulate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The war depopulated the countryside.
Example
The disease depopulated the entire village.
Example
The government is trying to depopulate the overcrowded city.
depopulate Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with depopulate
depopulate an area
to remove or reduce the population of a specific area
Example
The government's plan is to depopulate the area and turn it into a nature reserve.
depopulate a species
to cause a significant reduction in the number of individuals of a particular species
Example
The hunting of elephants has depopulated the species in many parts of Africa.
to remove or evacuate all the people from a building
Example
The fire alarm forced us to depopulate the building quickly.
Summary: depopulate in Brief
The verb 'depopulate' [dee-pop-yuh-leyt] means to remove or reduce the population of a place or region. It can be used to describe the effects of war, disease, or government policies, as in 'The war depopulated the countryside.' 'Depopulate' can also be used with specific areas, species, or buildings, as in 'The government's plan is to depopulate the area and turn it into a nature reserve.' Synonyms include 'empty' and 'evacuate,' while antonyms include 'populate' and 'settle.'
