anti-colonial

adjective

an·​ti-co·​lo·​nial ˌan-tē-kə-ˈlō-nē-əl 

-nyəl, 

ˌan-tī- 

variants or less commonly anticolonial

: opposed to colonial rule of one country by another : opposing or resisting colonialism

anti-colonial movements

anti-colonialism

ˌan-tē-kə-ˈlō-nē-ə-ˌli-zəm, 

-nyə-ˌli-, 

ˌan-tī- 

adjective

or less commonly anticolonialism

supporters of anti-colonialism

Examples of anti-colonial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Images of marchers protesting the Nigerian civil war and of leaders of anti-colonial struggles blend with early documentation of European women’s-liberation movements. —Hilton Als, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026

Amidst an anti-colonial revolt, and with Jewish refugees fleeing persecution from Europe, all sides converge in a decisive moment for the entire region. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026

His supporters, especially in the Middle East and South Asia, saw something else: a righteous anti-colonial hero of sorts, one of the few political leaders willing to look America in the eye and refuse to blink. —Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026

This is the anti-colonial, anti-complacency guitar album of the very young year so far. —Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 9 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for anti-colonial

• antimonial
• ceremonial
• matrimonial
• postcolonial
• precolonial
• testimonial
• anticolonial
• intercolonial
• neocolonial
• baronial
• colonial