Synonyms of colony

colony

noun

ˈkä-lə-nē 

1

as in plantation

a settlement in a new country or region

the early history of New York City when it was a Dutch colony

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plantation
• outpost
• territory
• camp
• protectorate
• habitation
• diaspora
• dependency
• possession
• post
• mandate
• exclave

2

as in community

a group of people with a common interest living in one place

New Hampshire's MacDowell colony was founded as a summer residence for writers and composers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• community
• family
• society
• company
• circle
• band
• clique
• coterie
• set
• troop
• clan

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of colony

Living colonies cover recent decades and can be checked against instrument data. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Even a famous artist’s colony and school in the northern part of the city had ceased making furniture and crafts, instead building wooden tail assemblies for planes as metal became scarce. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026

Booksellers under pressure Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, was once known for its freedoms of publication and expression. — Kanis Leung, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Aug. 2026

Such groups may include perennial nomads (such as the Roma in Europe), Indigenous peoples in former European colonies, or smaller tribes in societies where tribal membership is socially significant. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026