overpopulation
over·pop·u·lat·ion/ˌoʊvɚˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/noun
overpopulation is spelled O-V-E-R-P-O-P-U-L-A-T-I-O-N: 14 letters and 5 syllables (over·pop·u·lat·ion). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, overpopulation means “An excessive number of occupants (people, animals, plants, etc.) in a particular area; specifically, when the number of occupants exceeds the ability…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of overpopulation is overpopulations.
How many letters and syllables are in overpopulation?
| Letters | 14: O-V-E-R-P-O-P-U-L-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 5: over·pop·u·lat·ion |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 41,154th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is overpopulation?
Overpopulation appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 41,154th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce overpopulation?
- UK /ˌəʊvəˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃn̩/
- US /ˌoʊvɚˌpɑpjəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/
- US /ˈoʊvɚ-/
Overpopulation has 5 syllables, split over·pop·u·lat·ion in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-overpopulation.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with overpopulation?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as overpopulation from its last stressed vowel (/eɪʃn/):
- information
- formation
- preparation
- presentation
- relation
- identification
- observation
- variation
- obligation
- simulation
- notification
- calculation
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of overpopulation
- overpopulations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does overpopulation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An excessive number of occupants (people, animals, plants, etc.) in a particular area; specifically, when the number of occupants exceeds the ability of that area to provide for them.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Overpopulation in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense excessive number of occupants in a particular area; specifically, when the numbe:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | surpeuplement, surpopulation |
| German | Überbevölkerung, Übervölkerung |
| Portuguese | sobrepopulação, sobrepovoamento, sobrepovoação, superpopulação, superpovoação, superpovoamento |
| Spanish | sobrepoblación, superpoblación |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does overpopulation come from?
From over- (prefix meaning ‘excessive; excessively’) + population.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).