as in settler
a person who settles in a new region
the first colonizers of Easter Island must have faced untold challenges
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Recent Examples of colonizer
The Vikings were raiders, pirates, traders, explorers, and colonizers who traveled far beyond their homeland in Scandinavia between the 9th and 11 centuries.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
During the 2002 World Cup, fans across Africa celebrated Senegal’s upset victory over defending champion France, its former colonizer, as a symbol of liberation.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
Following the Revolution, as the United States expanded and more European settlers arrived, their homelands in New York and Massachusetts were taken over by colonizers.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Start by visiting Elmina Castle, the oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa, founded by Portuguese colonizers in 1482.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonizer
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
During the 2002 World Cup, fans across Africa celebrated Senegal’s upset victory over defending champion France, its former colonizer, as a symbol of liberation.
—Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2026
Following the Revolution, as the United States expanded and more European settlers arrived, their homelands in New York and Massachusetts were taken over by colonizers.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Start by visiting Elmina Castle, the oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa, founded by Portuguese colonizers in 1482.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonizer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonizer
Noun
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On March 30, soldiers from the battalion detained a CNN team covering settler violence in the village of Tayasir in the West Bank.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
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Local history is also reflected in the design, with a Navy pilot (representing the former Naval Air Station Glenview); a member of the Kennicott family, the early settlers of The Grove; the Glenview Farmer’s Market; and a child riding in the 4th of July bike parade featured.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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She was joined onstage by local legends Caetano Veloso, a tropicália pioneer, and his sister Maria Bethânia, one of the best-selling artists in Brazilian history.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
3 May 2026
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Another pioneer in single-vineyard selection Brunello is Tenute Silvio Nardi, which introduced its Vigneto Manachiara in 1995, followed by Vigneto Poggio Doria nine years later.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
3 May 2026
Noun
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In the centuries since colonists waged war against the crown, American’s attitudes toward the royals have shifted from hatred to adoration.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The Courant has reported, most colonists were not exactly mesmerized by the notion of severing ties with the mother country.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The diamond has since come to be seen as a symbol of colonial British rule by many Indians.—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
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Yet, as throngs of people strolled the three-block downtown on a recent April weekend, past American flag streamers, patriotic bunting and red brick colonial buildings, there was scant visible evidence of that polarization.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Colonizer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonizer. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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