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 Revolution did not begin because a handful of ambitious colonists sought power for themselves. Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Starting in the seventeenth century, Spanish colonists enslaved Africans and brought them to the coffee and cocoa plantations that were concentrated in the area. Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 Those colonists, though, wanted any of their children born overseas to retain European citizenship. Julie Watson, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 The diets of the early colonists differed based on regional availability, but seafood dominated many plates as well. Ava Berger, NPR, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for colonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonist
Noun
  • Goldman has consistently criticized Israel's government and condemned settler violence but has stopped short of describing the conflict as a genocide, which Lander has done.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 June 2026
  • Goldman has consistently criticized Israel’s government and condemned settler violence but has stopped short of describing the conflict as a genocide, which Lander has done.
    Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • As a kid, Grant was an Eagle scout, and essentially built a historical trail after discovering pioneer grave sites.
    Sam McDowell July 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • The pioneer of the world’s largest Bitcoin asset treasury attended the president’s first crypto summit at the White House in March 2025.
    Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Burbank’s environmental determinism was tangled with a settler-colonial impulse to imbue the wild landscape with Western ideals of control and organization to not only manage but also improve populations, in both plants and humans.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2026
  • Then this private driveway passes fruit trees, a vineyard, and mature plantings, before finally reaching the impressive colonial that is at the heart of this nearly four-acre country estate at 46 Andrews Road in Wolcott.
    James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026

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“Colonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonist. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

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