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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 colonies
With very few exceptions, an end was declared, not only to empires, but also to city-states, duchies, principalities, emirates, sultanates, caliphates, khanates, agencies, princely states, colonies, suzerains, dependencies, mandates, tributaries, condominia and protectorates.
—
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The filmmaker’s research into viral colonies and group organisms revealed a fascinating parallel to human society.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
Their colonies help aerate the soil and improve water filtration and the ants themselves serve as food for other species.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Funded through the Trust for the National Mall, the new White House hive supports the existing colonies in pollinating the nearby White House Kitchen Garden, Flower Cutting Garden and vegetation on the National Mall.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Football, too, was brought to colonies by conquerors, only to be embraced by the conquered and remade anew.
—Franklin Leonard, Vanity Fair, 14 May 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.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
The chef Gregory Gourdet, the son of Haitian immigrants, approaches France from the view of the colonies, moving from Vietnam to Louisiana but ever circling back to the Caribbean and its wealth of plantains, salt cod, Scotch bonnets, pikliz and not-so-humble rice and beans.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
France has long maintained a policy of economic, political and military sway over its former colonies dubbed Françafrique, which included keeping thousands of troops in the region.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
The filmmaker’s research into viral colonies and group organisms revealed a fascinating parallel to human society.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026
Their colonies help aerate the soil and improve water filtration and the ants themselves serve as food for other species.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Funded through the Trust for the National Mall, the new White House hive supports the existing colonies in pollinating the nearby White House Kitchen Garden, Flower Cutting Garden and vegetation on the National Mall.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Football, too, was brought to colonies by conquerors, only to be embraced by the conquered and remade anew.
—Franklin Leonard, Vanity Fair, 14 May 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.
—Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
The chef Gregory Gourdet, the son of Haitian immigrants, approaches France from the view of the colonies, moving from Vietnam to Louisiana but ever circling back to the Caribbean and its wealth of plantains, salt cod, Scotch bonnets, pikliz and not-so-humble rice and beans.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
France has long maintained a policy of economic, political and military sway over its former colonies dubbed Françafrique, which included keeping thousands of troops in the region.
—ABC News, 11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonies
Noun
-
Indonesians make up the large bulk of foreign labor in Malaysia, predominantly in plantations and construction.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
-
The study found that agave plantations in the two areas have expanded by over 400% the past three decades, increasingly replacing forests and farmland with a species of agave known as espadin, used in most commercial mezcal.—
Claudia Rosel,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Private equity companies would be banned from investing in youth sports teams, leagues, facilities and events under a new federal bill, a move lawmakers say would lower participation costs for families and restore control of a public good to local communities.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
By then, Sudan had plunged into a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which have both been accused of war crimes against non-Arab communities.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
New opportunities could also emerge in the coming commercial space station era, planned for the 2030s, when new orbital outposts launch to replace the aging ISS.—
Ramin Skibba,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
-
Almost half a century later, the resurgence of the LES as an artists’ hub is being shaped by small, independent galleries; artist-run nonprofits like 99Canal and the Abrons Art Center; blue-chip galleries like Perrotin; and the East Side outposts of Chelsea galleries such as Hollis Taggart.—
Natalia Torija,
Curbed,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colonies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonies. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
