Westerner

noun

West·​ern·​er ˈwe-stər-nər 

-stə-

1

: a native or inhabitant of the West

especially : a native or resident of the western part of the U.S.

2

: one advocating the adoption of western European culture especially in 19th century Russia

Examples of Westerner in a Sentence

Westerners tend to be unfamiliar with Asian customs.

Recent Examples on the Web

Residents of the latter include Captain Joseph Rutherford Walker, the first Westerner to glimpse the Yosemite Valley. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 May 2026

Barceló went from being a Mexican Northerner to an American Westerner. — Barbara Spindel, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Apr. 2026

After the cowboys’ home had yellowed to memory, illustrators such as Frederic Remington set about romanticizing the Westerner, a process vigorously seized upon by the chieftains of Hollywood. — Miles Beller, HollywoodReporter, 4 Feb. 2026

That is to say, what Westerners know about Saudi is often skewed or incomplete. — Beandrea July, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Westerner

noun

West·​ern·​er ˈwes-tə(r)-nər 

: a person born or living in the West (as of the U.S.)