colonists

Definition of colonistsnext
plural of colonist
as in settlers
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 colonists The colonists awoke from their dream of lucrative plantations to find churches in ashes and molasses cauldrons rusting in the grass. Literary Hub, 19 Mar. 2026 The Quebec Act, which protected Catholicism in neighboring Quebec, was seen by some colonists as a threat and is reflected in grievances in the Declaration of Independence. ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026 At that time, a warship required about 30 days to sail across the Atlantic Ocean and be in position to lob a few cannonballs at Boston or Philadelphia, possibly killing a few colonists. Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026 Virginia is recognized as the birthplace of American wine, since colonists attempted the craft in the early 17th century. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026 This practice outraged the American colonists, who believed that general warrants enabled tyranny by empowering officers to enter homes and businesses at will. Amanda Cats-Baril, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2026 The Hopis and Zunis were part of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, where Spanish colonists and priests were driven out of the pueblos of New Mexico and northeastern Arizona. Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 27 Feb. 2026 Decades before the Declaration of Independence, colonists organized boycotts and public demonstrations opposing British rule. Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 24 Feb. 2026 His outrageous attacks on the citizens of Minnesota are as egregious as anything the British Redcoats did to provoke American colonists into revolution, that started with the Battle of Lexington (painting). Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonists
Noun
  • But Union troops in Colorado were also responsible for forcing Indigenous people from their homes as white settlers moved into the state.
    Christa Swanson, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Bakri is more brittle in Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher as Basem, a Palestinian teacher in the West Bank whose support for insurgents grows after his own son dies in prison and as Israeli settlers brutalize his neighborhood.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • For the record, Burleson does not credit himself with popularizing the format, citing Chris Klemens and Billy Eichner as pioneers.
    Arushi Jacob, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Team officials from the 49ers and the Rams have embraced being pioneers in Australia.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Colonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonists. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

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