populous
adjective
pop·u·lous
ˈpä-pyə-ləs 
1
a
: densely populated
b
: having a large population
2
a
: numerous
b
: filled to capacity
populously
adverb
populousness
noun
Did you know?
With a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people, Mexico City could be called the world's second or third most populous city. And the nearby Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world even when Hernán Cortés arrived there in 1519. But by the time Cortés conquered the city in 1521 it wasn't nearly so populous, since European diseases had greatly reduced the population. Avoid confusing populous and populace, which are pronounced exactly the same.
Examples of populous in a Sentence
the most populous state in the U.S.
Recent Examples on the Web
There are around 30 retailers participating in the program, with some in populous areas like Boulder, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Loveland, as well as smaller towns like Mancos and Hotchkiss.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
In Davis, Yolo County’s most populous city, the sky will be dark for most of the night.
—Jack Rodriquez-Vars, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2025
If visions like Mani’s, Wadhwa’s and others manifest, expect to witness new paths to prosperity within the most populous country in history.
—Robert C. Wolcott, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Africa’s most populous nation had 3.5 million HIV cases, and the disease threatened to destabilize the region and ultimately compromise U.S. interests.
—Kathryn Rhine, The Conversation, 19 May 2025
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Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
In Davis, Yolo County’s most populous city, the sky will be dark for most of the night.
—Jack Rodriquez-Vars, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2025
If visions like Mani’s, Wadhwa’s and others manifest, expect to witness new paths to prosperity within the most populous country in history.
—Robert C. Wolcott, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Africa’s most populous nation had 3.5 million HIV cases, and the disease threatened to destabilize the region and ultimately compromise U.S. interests.
—Kathryn Rhine, The Conversation, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for populous
Cite this Entry
“Populous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/populous. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
populous
adjective
pop·u·lous
ˈpäp-yə-ləs
: having a large population
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