colonials

plural of colonial
as in settlers
a person who settles in a new region European colonials who built coffee plantations in East Africa

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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 colonials About 1870, pajamas surfaced in the Western world as sleeping attire for men, after returning British colonials brought back with them the pajamas worn in India. Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 Contemporary colonials have been popular for some time and continue attract buyers. James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026 The rest of the colonials quit the field, gathering at a tree line close by. Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonials
Noun
  • Afrikaners are descended from mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers who first came to South Africa in the 17th century.
    CBS News, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Festival-goers will find more than dozens of booths, including a large children’s area, a historical exhibit documenting local Hispanic settlers, and a fine art exhibit.
    Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • After all, modern hikers and campers have access to tools the pioneers could never have imagined.
    Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The marker is the first in Miami-Dade County from the Florida Civil Rights Museum as part of its heritage trail honoring Black pioneers throughout Florida.
    Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Japan regained sovereignty over the island in the 1970s, but the American military still has a heavy presence there, continuing tensions between locals and the armed colonists surrounding them.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In his telling, the Lenape agreed to sell Dutch colonists only as much land on Manhattan as could be covered by a man’s breeches.
    Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Colonials.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonials. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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