colonial 1 of 2

adjective

kə-ˈlō-nē-əl How to pronounce colonial (audio)
Definition of colonialnext
as in social
tending to group with others of the same kind colonial organisms

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Political decisions, colonial policies, economic inequality and failures in food and water systems transformed widespread crop losses into the catastrophe that killed tens of millions of people. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 7 July 2026 The cross itself was erected to commemorate the death of 21 Franciscan friars during a revolt against colonial occupation. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Noun
Crews are wanting to learn more about the earthen fortification, known as the redoubt, which is essentially a dirt fort colonial soldiers built by hand overnight before fighting began. — Kailey Schuyler, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026 Like many nations, Morocco’s devotion to soccer is a vestige of its colonial past. — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for colonial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonial
  1. social
  2. settler
  3. pioneer
  4. colonist
Adjective
  • The hotel has also invested in the local community by supporting social causes.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026
  • Even as many corporate leaders embrace LinkedIn and other social platforms for visibility and influence, a smaller cohort of executives at some of America’s largest companies continues to buck the trend.
    — Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of social
Noun
  • The species—which looks like a strange mix of a dog, zebra, and a kangaroo—was hunted to extinction, largely because European settlers blamed them for attacks on sheep, poultry, and other livestock.
    — Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
  • Fairbrother, who grew up with Ojibwe and Cree language systems, had only a few weeks to study Osage before playing a man who serves as the translator — and, by extension, the cultural bridge — between his tribe and the English-speaking settlers.
    — Max Gao, IndieWire, 10 July 2026
Definition of settler
Noun
  • Baby Carrie has not been born yet at the start of the series, in part so the show could explore pioneer pregnancy and childbirth.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Biologists ranging from the evolutionary theorist Ernst Mayr to the pioneer of molecular biology Jacques Monod have acknowledged that.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 8 July 2026
Definition of pioneer
Noun
  • Kimmel also portrayed a colonist and took a satirical swipe at the situation.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of colonist

Browse Nearby Words

Colonel Blimp
colonial
colonials
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Cite this Entry

“Colonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonial. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of colonial for Spanish Speakers

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