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
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Recent Examples of colonists
After all, what could the specific complaints of colonists in 1776 have to do with 2026?
—
Robert Parkinson,
The Conversation,
24 June 2026
Competition over land and other resources frequently contributed to conflict between colonists and Native Americans.
—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 June 2026
Those groups, and more recent successors, drew on strains of conspiracy theory-minded thinking that go back to the American Revolution, when many colonists believed that a corrupt British elite was plotting to strip them of their traditional liberties.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Filé powder is made with ground sassafras leaves, which were foraged by the local Choctaw people and used to flavor and thicken dishes long before French colonists showed up.
—
Ashley Rose Young,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 June 2026
Next month, our country is celebrating its 250th birthday, the day the colonists said enough is enough to the king of England.
—
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
But when human hubris introduces a linguistic plague on the creatures, the colonists must work to finally, truly understand the Indigenous population.
—
Brianne Kane,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
Savannah was under British occupation in the fall of 1779, when colonists planned an attack to retake the city with help from French allies.
—
CBS News,
4 June 2026
When other nearby ports were under British control during the Revolutionary War, the colonists were able to use Washington for resupply efforts.
—
Caroline Eubanks,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
Robert Parkinson,
The Conversation,
24 June 2026
Competition over land and other resources frequently contributed to conflict between colonists and Native Americans.
—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 June 2026
Those groups, and more recent successors, drew on strains of conspiracy theory-minded thinking that go back to the American Revolution, when many colonists believed that a corrupt British elite was plotting to strip them of their traditional liberties.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Filé powder is made with ground sassafras leaves, which were foraged by the local Choctaw people and used to flavor and thicken dishes long before French colonists showed up.
—
Ashley Rose Young,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 June 2026
Next month, our country is celebrating its 250th birthday, the day the colonists said enough is enough to the king of England.
—
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
But when human hubris introduces a linguistic plague on the creatures, the colonists must work to finally, truly understand the Indigenous population.
—
Brianne Kane,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
Savannah was under British occupation in the fall of 1779, when colonists planned an attack to retake the city with help from French allies.
—
CBS News,
4 June 2026
When other nearby ports were under British control during the Revolutionary War, the colonists were able to use Washington for resupply efforts.
—
Caroline Eubanks,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonists
Noun
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The disagreement reflected broader frustrations among many frontier settlers.
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Fossils dating back to the Pleistocene Age were found at this incredible site, which got its name from early settlers who thought the steam emanating from the underground space looked like smoke rising from hell.
Noun
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The 90-minute set got the crowd dancing to EDM remixes and hits from one of the genre’s pioneers, bringing back 2010s nostalgia.
-
The technology was invaluable to farmers and pioneers of the American West.
Cite this Entry
“Colonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonists. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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