population control

British  

noun

1. a policy of attempting to limit the growth in numbers of a population, esp in poor or densely populated parts of the world, by programmes of contraception or sterilization

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population control Cultural  

1. In reaction to the prediction by Thomas Malthus that the world's population would soon outgrow its food supply, a movement began in the early twentieth century to limit the number of births and therefore limit the growth of the world's population. The movement is supported by groups such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation. A number of countries have made population control a national policy. To varying extents, the methods of population control include family planning, birth control, contraception, and abortion (see also abortion). These policies are opposed by many groups, including the Roman Catholic Church, and are controversial.

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Example Sentences

The alleged purposes range from mind or population control to addressing climate change.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Last year, the government added bears to the list of animals subject to population control, reversing protection that had helped bears thrive.

From Barron's • Nov. 8, 2025

Patrick Ruane, from Paddington, west London, belonged to groups on Telegram that spread conspiracy theories about Covid-19 vaccines being designed for population control.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2024

"Now that we have reverse engineered this process, we can fine tune methods of population control with Wolbachia that are already in use," Kaur said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2024

Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority   by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is   essential to the nation's long-term economic viability.

From The 1993 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency