overpopulate

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o·ver·pop·u·late / ˌōvərˈpäpyəˌlāt/ • v. [tr.] populate (an area) in too large numbers: the country was overpopulated. ∎  [intr.] (of an animal) breed too rapidly: without natural predators, deer would overpopulate.DERIVATIVES: o·ver·pop·u·la·tion / ˈōvərˌpäpyəˈlāshən/ n.