as in settlers
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 colonizers
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
The book is set in late-19th-century Malacca (also spelled Melaka), a city in Malaysia, and mentions landmarks left over from two previous European colonizers before the British arrived.
—J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
But Oakland Indigenous chef Crystal Wahpepah, owner of Wahpepah’s Kitchen, is finding her way back to the recipes that were lost as the North American continent was carved up by European colonizers.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
The show traces Hawaii's history, from the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers to the missionary colonizers publicly banning hula, culminating with the cultural practice once again being celebrated in the islands.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
The New York Times How Vietnamese philosopher Trần Đức Thảo conceptualized the divide between colonized and colonizers.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
Far outnumbering their opponents, the Pueblos chased the colonizers to Santa Fe and then drove them out of the region.
—Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
After 15 years, Spanish troops dispersed the settlement—which had grown to 4,000, and had its own cavalry—but subsequent maroon groups forced colonizers to sign treaties with them.
—Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Alcohol has devastated generations of Indigenous peoples in the Americas ever since it was introduced by colonizers.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
The book is set in late-19th-century Malacca (also spelled Melaka), a city in Malaysia, and mentions landmarks left over from two previous European colonizers before the British arrived.
—J. D. Biersdorfer, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
But Oakland Indigenous chef Crystal Wahpepah, owner of Wahpepah’s Kitchen, is finding her way back to the recipes that were lost as the North American continent was carved up by European colonizers.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026
The show traces Hawaii's history, from the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers to the missionary colonizers publicly banning hula, culminating with the cultural practice once again being celebrated in the islands.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 15 Jan. 2026
The New York Times How Vietnamese philosopher Trần Đức Thảo conceptualized the divide between colonized and colonizers.
—Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
Far outnumbering their opponents, the Pueblos chased the colonizers to Santa Fe and then drove them out of the region.
—Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
After 15 years, Spanish troops dispersed the settlement—which had grown to 4,000, and had its own cavalry—but subsequent maroon groups forced colonizers to sign treaties with them.
—Laurent Dubois, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Alcohol has devastated generations of Indigenous peoples in the Americas ever since it was introduced by colonizers.
—Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonizers
Noun
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The area was later named in his honor, as more settlers moved in.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Volkspele were historical cosplay events for preteens, musical re-enactments of the Great Trek — the 19th-century migration of Afrikaner settlers away from British rule, heading inland in ox-wagons, that has been mythologized through tales of women and children crossing the Drakensberg barefoot.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This team will be viewed as pioneers for a school that had never reached a state championship game in any team sport.—
Rick Cantu,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
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The lake’s volume had fallen about 67% since pioneers settled the valley.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Colonizers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonizers. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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