1
as in plantations
a settlement in a new country or region
the early history of New York City when it was a Dutch colony
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Recent Examples of colonies
By the time the colonies were created, people in all 13 colonies produced butter.
—
Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
On apple farms, there are often about two or three colonies per hectare, underscoring the scale of the population in the cemetery.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
The company swiftly reintroduced the practice and gradually P&G’s first official logo, a moon with 13 stars (one for each of America’s original colonies), was born.
—Alexander Coolidge, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Similar hierarchies exist in beehives and ant colonies.
—Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
By sequencing corals and the algae that live inside them, researchers have identified colonies that naturally withstand higher temperatures and are beginning to test whether selectively breeding and growing those more resilient corals can support reef recovery.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Such digressions could pose a problem in the future as the possibilities of human colonies in space become more likely.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 9 Apr. 2026
Half of all honey bee colonies die every winter in the United States, on average.
—Andony Melathopoulos, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
In the 1600s, the Alkmaar market traded millions of pounds of cheese, exporting it throughout Europe and European colonies.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2024
Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
On apple farms, there are often about two or three colonies per hectare, underscoring the scale of the population in the cemetery.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
The company swiftly reintroduced the practice and gradually P&G’s first official logo, a moon with 13 stars (one for each of America’s original colonies), was born.
—Alexander Coolidge, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Similar hierarchies exist in beehives and ant colonies.
—Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
By sequencing corals and the algae that live inside them, researchers have identified colonies that naturally withstand higher temperatures and are beginning to test whether selectively breeding and growing those more resilient corals can support reef recovery.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Such digressions could pose a problem in the future as the possibilities of human colonies in space become more likely.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 9 Apr. 2026
Half of all honey bee colonies die every winter in the United States, on average.
—Andony Melathopoulos, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
In the 1600s, the Alkmaar market traded millions of pounds of cheese, exporting it throughout Europe and European colonies.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonies
Noun
-
Permanent agriculture like plantations and grazing land was the overwhelming reason.—
Tom Page,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The oasis is packed with dense thickets of date palms and banana plantations.—
Julie Bourdin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Smith said the proposal also ignores tribal treaty rights and the government's responsibility to consult Indigenous communities.—
Beret Leone,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This shift — from awareness to acceptance — benefits not only individuals with ASD, but our communities as a whole.—
Oc Register,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Trader Joe’s is opening outposts in Mandeville, New Orleans, and Lafayette.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The outposts are built without the permission of Israeli authorities, who sometimes dismantle them but other times turn a blind eye or even legalize them retroactively.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colonies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonies. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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