Overpopulate: meaning, definitions and examples

When referring to a situation where the number of individuals exceeds the carrying capacity of an environment, often used in environmental or urban planning contexts.

• The city began to overpopulate, causing strain on local resources
• The park rangers are concerned that the deer are starting to overpopulate the forest

Used to describe a large number of people or things gathered closely together, often leads to discomfort or inconvenience. Can also indicate a bustling atmosphere.

• The concert hall started to crowd an hour before the show
• The small room was crowded with students waiting for the lecture to begin

Describes a large number of beings, usually insects or people, moving together in a typically chaotic and uncontrolled manner. Can carry a slightly negative connotation.

• Bees swarmed around the hive
• Students swarmed the cafeteria as soon as lunch began

Applied when there is an overwhelming influx of people, things, or information, often creating a sense of chaos or abundance. Can be used metaphorically.

• Messages began to flood her inbox after the announcement
• Fans flooded the stadium to see their favorite team play

Typically refers to being overwhelmed with things to the point of being submerged, often has a negative connotation implying too much to handle.

• She was inundated with work after her colleague quit
• Calls inundated the help desk during the outage