overpopulation

British  

/ ˌəʊvəˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the population of an area in too large numbers

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overpopulation Scientific  

/ ō′vər-pŏp′yə-lā′shən /

1. The population of an environment by a particular species in excess of the environment's carrying capacity. The effects of overpopulation can include the depletion of resources, environmental deterioration, and the prevalence of famine and disease.

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Explanation

Overpopulation is what happens when there are too many members of a species. An overpopulation of deer can lead to more of them being hit by cars and more gardens being nibbled. When the population of any group is too large for its environment to support, that's overpopulation. That can mean so many people inhabiting a region that there's not enough food for everyone, or an overabundance of rabbits in an area with no natural predators. An overpopulation of pets in the U.S. means that unwanted cats and dogs have to be euthanized every year; there are just too many of them for the number of available adopters.

Example Sentences

"Being too permissive with wild animals has led to an overpopulation of rabbits, deer and wild boar," says Òscar Ordeig, the minister for agriculture, fisheries and food in the regional government of Catalonia.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

Chinese authorities have rolled out pronatalist incentives after ending its one-child policy -- which had been in place for more than three decades to address poverty and overpopulation.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

In our own day, overpopulation pessimism has given way to very real worries that we aren’t replacing ourselves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025

Gen. Rob Bonta to keep the prison open, presenting it as an option to alleviate the overpopulation in county jails.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2025

The fall has been laid at the door of overpopulation, overuse of natural resources, and drought.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• bottleneck
• traffic jam