Definition

Adjective: Describes an area that is densely populated; having many people living close together in a given space.

Usage

This adjective is used to describe geographic areas, such as neighborhoods, towns, or regions, where the population density is high. It often implies a concentration of buildings and infrastructure to support the population.

Examples

• The coastal region is thickly settled, with towns and villages clustered along the shore.
• Compared to the vast, open ranchlands, the valley is thickly settled.
• Early maps show that the area around the river was thickly settled even centuries ago.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used in comparative and superlative forms: , , .
  • The southern counties are more thickly settled than the northern ones.
• It can function as a subject complement following a linking verb like "is," "was," or "seems."
  • The island is thickly settled along its western coast.

Variants and Related Words

• Thickly-settled: A less common hyphenated variant of the same term.
• Populous (adj.): Having a large population. (Similar in meaning, but "thickly settled" more strongly emphasizes density and physical closeness of dwellings).
• Densely populated (adj. phrase): The most common and direct synonym.

Synonyms

• Densely populated
• Heavily populated
• Crowded (though this can imply discomfort, which "thickly settled" does not necessarily)
• Packed

Antonyms

• Sparsely populated
• Thinly settled
• Uninhabited
• Remote

Adjective

1. densely populated