colonial 1 of 2

Definition of colonialnext

colonial

2 of 2

noun

as in settler
a person who settles in a new region European colonials who built coffee plantations in East Africa

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 colonial
Adjective
Under colonial rule hijras were accused of acting as male prostitutes and of kidnapping and castrating children to grow their community. Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026 Code Noir — or Black Code — was signed by King Louis XIV at Versailles Palace in 1685 to set the rules for slavery across France’s colonial empire. ABC News, 28 May 2026
Noun
Stroll down Main Road and admire houses representing every era of Westport’s long colonial and maritime history, from Cape Cod cottages and colonial saltboxes to showy Greek Revival sea captains’ homes. Anna Laird Barto, Travel + Leisure, 13 May 2026 Long before drop-top Corvettes breezed through town, Albuquerque was a bastion of Spanish colonial and Native America cultures, a heritage that endures at 18th-century San Felipe de Neri Church in Old Town and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for colonial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonial
Adjective
  • The vibe is pretension-free and most everyone is in casual, non-fussy attire, though a designer cocktail dress or two might appear for beachfront dinners and social gatherings.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
  • Justice is a social, caring young person with a great sense of humor that easily brings smiles to those around him.
    MARE Staff, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Noun
  • Many of these settlers’ descendants still live in Fredericksburg.
    Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 2 June 2026
  • One story states that Julius Mackie Washington Masingill, an early settler, then suggested naming the office after the hickory trees that grew in abundance in the area.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • William Arruda is a keynote speaker, bestselling author, and personal branding pioneer.
    William Arruda, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • Your mother, heroically, became a warrior and a frontierswoman, an explorer, a pioneer.
    Taiye Selasi, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Noun
  • Honey hunting became a popular pastime, as colonists tracked down wild colonies to harvest wax and honey like their ancestors back in Europe.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
  • An agreement adopted by the First Continental Congress and signed by all 53 delegates that urged colonists to boycott British goods.
    Justin Adams, CBS News, 26 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Colonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonial. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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