Thesaurus results for COLONIST

colonist

noun

ˈkä-lə-nist

Definition of colonist

as in settler

a person who settles in a new region over time the colonists began to sense that they were becoming a people unto themselves

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 colonist In the sketch, Washington’s announcement prompts a skeptical colonist (David) to imagine a future leader who ignores the Constitution, uses the presidency for personal gain and seeks to remain in power. — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026 Between 1824 and 1831, British colonists committed mass atrocities against and forced displacement of the island’s Aboriginal tribes. — Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 Like much of the valley, Gilroy stands on land that was first occupied by the native Amah Mutsun, then taken over by Spanish colonists and later became Mexico. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 Religious symbols are best displayed in non-governmental spaces given that America was formed by colonists who fled England to seek freedom of religion. — Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for colonist

Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonist

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

Definition of settler

Noun

Zieha and Blue Bird were also described as pioneers for bringing organic, farm-to-table food to Kansas City at a time when this type of cuisine was entering the mainstream across the country.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Graham Hughes | Bloomberg | Getty Images Yoshua Bengio is a Canadian computer scientist, considered to be a central pioneer of modern deep learning.

— Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of pioneer

Noun

The two of them live on-site in what looks like a family home straight out of a 1990s Disney film, a white colonial home with blue shutters.

— Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Ideally located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the Taskers Pond neighborhood, a handsome colonial has just come on the market.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of colonial

Browse Nearby Words

colonies

colonist

colonists

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“Colonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonist. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of colonist

noun

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