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
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Recent Examples of colonist
Salt Cay’s biggest industry (salt production) began in the late 1600s, when British colonists from Bermuda developed the salinas (salt ponds) and the infrastructure.
—
Peter Kelly, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2025
Kruger was determined to establish a strong republic controlled by Afrikaners [South Africans descended from Dutch colonists].
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 Aug. 2025
Since the condition of the Royal Navy was of prime importance to the British Parliament, during the colonial era that body passed several acts that sought to entice or compel colonists in British North America to produce naval stores for the benefit of the mother country.
—Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
The Robinsons, a family of space colonists leave an over-populated Earth in search of a new world.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colonist
Peter Kelly, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2025
Kruger was determined to establish a strong republic controlled by Afrikaners [South Africans descended from Dutch colonists].
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 Aug. 2025
Since the condition of the Royal Navy was of prime importance to the British Parliament, during the colonial era that body passed several acts that sought to entice or compel colonists in British North America to produce naval stores for the benefit of the mother country.
—Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2025
The Robinsons, a family of space colonists leave an over-populated Earth in search of a new world.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colonist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonist
Noun
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The promise is not to sanction a handful of settlers, symbolically recognize a Palestinian state, or even to merely restrict arms sales, but to vote for an end to any US support whatsoever if there is no change.—
Jack Sheehan
September 4,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
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This broad public support for pumas could spur state wildlife agencies to explore the idea of restoring pumas in states along the East Coast where the animals were driven out decades ago by settlers, ranchers, farmers and government officials.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Alexander Jabbour is an Engineering Lead at Rilla, an industry pioneer in real-time sales conversation feedback.—
Alexander Jabbour,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Visitors can also stop by the Leonard Reid House, built in 1926 by one of Sarasota’s early Black pioneers, Leonard Reid, or visit the Greater Newtown Historical Gallery, a repository of Newtown history that includes family photo collections and artifacts.—
Mariette Williams,
AFAR Media,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Did Israel’s existence as a settler-colonial state necessitate erasure of the Arabs who were in Palestine?—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
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There should be no surprise at just how appealing this center hall colonial turns out to be.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Colonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonist. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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