depopulation
depopulation — noun
1. the process or state of an area losing its residents, whether through people lea
the process or state of an area losing its residents, whether through people leaving, disease, conflict, or official measures
The island's depopulation sped up after the only school shut its doors.
depopulation + of [place] pattern
Asher's village faced depopulation after the drought killed the crops for a third straight year.
rural depopulation collocation
The government offered tax breaks to reverse the depopulation of rural towns.
Nora read about the depopulation of Venice, where rising rents drove local families away.
The war led to the widespread depopulation of the border towns, leaving whole streets empty.
- population decline
more neutral and statistical; lacks the negative or policy-focused tone of 'depopulation'
- population loss
similar but less formal; often used in journalism rather than academic writing
- demographic decline
broader term that includes falling birth rates, not just people leaving or dying
- population growth
the opposite trend of rising numbers of inhabitants
- repopulation
the act of bringing people back to a place that was previously emptied
文法句型
depopulation + of + [place]
用法筆記
Typically uncountable. Almost always refers to a whole place or region, not to individuals or small groups. Common in discussions of geography, economics, and public policy.