as in social
tending to group with others of the same kind
colonial organisms
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of colonial
Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Revolutionary War artifacts unearthed at site of infamous colonial American heist.
—FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Michael Lobel, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
An extension of the kind of settler-colonial conquest of the American West, and the dispossessions of indigenous people that have been practiced for a century or so.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonial
Adjective
During the colonial period, as indigenous structures were disrupted, the compound provided communities in the region with a sense of unity and shared experience.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
Revolutionary War artifacts unearthed at site of infamous colonial American heist.
—FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Noun
The Tate show, which surveys the efforts of Nigerian artists and artistic groups both before and after the country declared national independence from British colonial rule, underscores the spirit of self-determination, and of aesthetic and artistic inquiry, that drew Lawrence in the first place.
—Michael Lobel, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
An extension of the kind of settler-colonial conquest of the American West, and the dispossessions of indigenous people that have been practiced for a century or so.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonial
Adjective
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Even the most complimentary appraisals of Raphael, which celebrate his multimodal genius—painter, draftsman, architect, poet, surveyor of antiquities—also mention his exquisite social tact and career climbing.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
County officials declined to answer questions about the grandmother’s account, including whether a social worker documented any such observation.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Much of this influence played a role in what would become the dialect of the South more generally as Scots Irish settlers and their descendants spread into the backcountry of the Upper and, a bit later, the Lowland South.—
Valerie Fridland,
Big Think,
21 Apr. 2026
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The removal came after the Indian Removal Act was passed and signed by President Andrew Jackson in 1830, as gold was discovered on Cherokee land and white settlers jockeyed for more acreage.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Though ostracized in their time, people who resisted internment are now seen as civil-rights pioneers.—
Hua Hsu,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The artist, lawyer and running pioneer unveiled her self-portrait in bronze alongside the Hopkinton Town Green this spring — the first statue of a woman on the historic route to Boston.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That exhibit looks at India through the eyes of colonists and corporations.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Paul Revere’s famous Midnight ride alerted the colonists that British troops (known as Regulars or Redcoats) were on the march to capture military supplies and leaders.—
William Lambers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonial. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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