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Synonyms

population explosion

American  

noun

  1. the rapid increase in numbers of a particular species, especially in the world's human population since the end of World War II, attributed to an accelerating birthrate, a decrease in infant mortality, and an increase in life expectancy.


population explosion British  

noun

  1. a rapid increase in the size of a population caused by such factors as a sudden decline in infant mortality or an increase in life expectancy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of population explosion

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55

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.

See Examples For:

With the expansion of the area’s wetlands in 2021, it saw a population explosion.

From Science Magazine Nov. 21, 2023

Authorities have tried various approaches to curb the population explosion in Colombia's main river, the Magdalena, including sterilisation and transferring individuals to zoos abroad.

From BBC Nov. 3, 2023

Beasley attributes the population explosion to a few explanations, including humans illegally moving wild pigs to the areas where hunting them is legal year-round, as well as to warmer climates in recent decades.

From Science Daily Oct. 10, 2023

Their absence disrupted predator-and-prey relationships throughout the nation and resulted in a population explosion of deer and elk.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 30, 2023

I already mentioned that the invention of pottery in Kyushu around 12,700 years ago and the resulting Jomon population explosion were the first of two decisive changes in Japanese history.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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