WordGarden.iorepopulate
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /rɪpˈɒpjʊlˌeɪt/
US
Meanings
Verb
to fill a place or area with inhabitants again
to fill a database, form, list, or interface with data again
Beyond the definition
Imagine a forest after a wildfire. It's barren and quiet, but nature has a way of bouncing back. To repopulate means to fill a place with living things again, like animals returning to that burned forest or fish being brought back to a quiet stream. It is about bringing life back to a place after the number of people, animals, or other living things has dropped.
You might hear about efforts to help endangered species return, where scientists work to repopulate their natural habitats. Or perhaps an island, once full of people, is being repopulated after many years of abandonment. The key idea is bringing a place back to a fuller, livelier state. It can also be used in a wider sense; for example, a company might try to repopulate its workforce by hiring after a period of layoffs.
To repopulate means to restore a population in a place by bringing back people, animals, plants, or other living things. The word suggests that the place once had more life in it and is now being filled again. Think of it as rebuilding what was lost so that the area becomes active and full again.
Historically, the word often referred to human settlements. After wars or natural disasters, governments might focus on repopulating devastated regions, encouraging people to return and rebuild their communities. "Following the plague, concerted efforts were made to repopulate the abandoned villages."
Today, it is frequently used in conservation. Scientists may work to repopulate the wild with a dwindling species by breeding animals in captivity and releasing them into their natural homes. "Conservationists are working tirelessly to repopulate the coral reefs with diverse marine life."
However, repopulate is also sometimes used more loosely outside biology. In technology, you might hear about repopulating a database after a system crash, meaning that the missing information is filled in again. Similarly, a business that has downsized might repopulate its departments by hiring new employees. Whether it is bringing back wildlife, rebuilding towns, or restoring data, repopulate is about renewal after loss or decline.
Examples
- 1
Wildlife recovery
After the wildfire, deer and foxes slowly repopulated the forest.
- 2
Village policy
The government offered grants to help young families repopulate the village.
- 3
Conservation
Conservationists are trying to repopulate the island with native birds.
- Patternrepopulate + place with + group
bring a particular group back to live there
- 4
Game setting
In the game, your job is to repopulate Earth after a global disaster.
See also
Similar
- resettle
- reinhabit
- populate again
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- repopulate an area
- repopulate a village
- repopulate the ecosystem
Word family
Explore
- population recovery
- habitat restoration
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- repopulate