as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants
believes that someday humans will be sent to colonize Mars
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of colonize
The family lives on the Caribbean island of Martinique, which was colonized first by the Spanish and then the French in 1635.
—
Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Part of what allows rats to colonize new terrain is their ability to feed on virtually anything.
—Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Written in lyrical and rhythmic prose, the novel delves into the lasting moral and spiritual distortions created by colonization in both colonizer and colonized.
—Alvin Birdi, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Two years ago, students occupied buildings and colonized the quad.
—Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonize
Madeleine Janz, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
Part of what allows rats to colonize new terrain is their ability to feed on virtually anything.
—Jason Bittel, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Written in lyrical and rhythmic prose, the novel delves into the lasting moral and spiritual distortions created by colonization in both colonizer and colonized.
—Alvin Birdi, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
Two years ago, students occupied buildings and colonized the quad.
—Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonize
Verb
-
Moist didn’t always inhabit such a precarious position in our psyche.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Steve Whitmire inhabited Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Statler, Rizzo the Rat, Link Hogthrob, Lips and the Newsman across a single film.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
It was populated by neither background singers nor a band.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Librarians should respect a highest-common denominator standard when considering which among the many choices should populate shelves.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The paradox of this quartet of movies up for the new casting Oscar, all boldly peopled with nonprofessionals, is that this very practice has become professionalized.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Why can’t people RSVP properly for goodness’ sake?—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonize. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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