depopulate
Americanverb (used with object)
adjective
verb
Other Word Forms
- depopulation noun
- depopulative adjective
- depopulator noun
Etymology
Origin of depopulate
1525–35; < Latin dēpopulātus devastated (past participle of dēpopulārī ), equivalent to dē- de- + populātus; see populate
Vocabulary lists containing depopulate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr Gates has long been the subject of multiple conspiracy theories - the most extreme of which claim that he is part of an effort to depopulate the world.
From BBC • Dec. 3, 2024
County’s new Justice, Care and Opportunities Department established last year to depopulate, and eventually close, Men’s Central Jail by expanding community care for people being diverted or released from the justice system.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2023
The scale of a fishing operation can also make a big difference: overly intensive methods of catching fish can depopulate entire schools at once and cause serious imbalances in marine ecosystems.
From Salon • Dec. 18, 2022
“The faster we can get on site and depopulate the birds that remain on site, the better,” Minnesota State Veterinarian Beth Thompson said.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2022
A mass exodus from North Korea could substantially depopulate the country, undermine its already inadequate capacity to grow food, and weaken—or perhaps even topple—the gov-ernment.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
