Definition of colonistnext
as in settler
a person who settles in a new region over time the colonists began to sense that they were becoming a people unto themselves

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of colonist The relationship between colonists and Native Americans was more complex than just a story of conflict as America established itself during and after the Revolution. — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026 Japan regained sovereignty over the island in the 1970s, but the American military still has a heavy presence there, continuing tensions between locals and the armed colonists surrounding them. — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 Robert had made a bunch of money in the importing business and was a loyalist to the king; Mary, perhaps without her husband’s knowledge, supported the colonist rebels. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 2 Sep. 2026 What happened to the colonists remains unknown, but archaeological finds—including otherwise anachronistic English artifacts on Hatteras Island—give some support to White’s theory that at least some of the colonists relocated willingly. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for colonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonist
Noun
  • Israeli settlers opened fire on olive harvesters in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, killing a Palestinian officer who responded to the attack and wounding 16, Palestinian officials said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • At least one Palestinian was killed and 14 injured when Jewish settlers attacked olive farmers near the town of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported today.
    — Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The book covers an enormous chunk of British screen history (1896 to 2001), with each chapter uncovering and illuminating the careers of early Black screen pioneers.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Jeddah’s Athr Gallery is debuting with Mosly and a second pioneer of Saudi modernism, Abdulrahman Alsulaiman.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Directed by Yohane Dean Lengol and Hamed Mobasser, Rumba Royale is set in 1959 Leopoldville, the former capital of Belgian Congo (which is now called Kinshasa), in the final months of Belgian colonial rule.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The look is eclectic colonial with timber ceilings, mahogany antiques, chintz armchairs, and clawfoot baths.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Colonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonist. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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