native 1 of 2

1
as in indigenous
belonging to a particular place by birth or origin though she now lived in the Northeast, she was a native Midwesterner

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2
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining diamonds in their native state are not the bright, flashy gems that one might imagine

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3

native

2 of 2

noun

1
as in resident
a usually longtime resident of a locality the natives seem to resent the summer tourists even though they depend upon them for their livelihood

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2
as in aborigine
a member of the first people to inhabit a region the anthropologist spent two years living among the island's natives and observing and documenting their customs and traditions

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word native distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of native are aboriginal, endemic, and indigenous. While all these words mean "belonging to a locality," native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

When can aboriginal be used instead of native?

The meanings of aboriginal and native largely overlap; however, aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

In what contexts can endemic take the place of native?

The synonyms endemic and native are sometimes interchangeable, but endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

When might indigenous be a better fit than native?

The words indigenous and native are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere.

indigenous plants

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of native
Adjective
While most kinds of beans are indigenous to Central and South America, soybeans are native to Asia, while lentils and fava beans originated in the Fertile Crescent and Eastern Mediterranean. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 19 June 2025 Gong was launched in 1966 by Australian native Daevid Allen, who had also co-founded the English band Soft Machine and had collaborated with both Terry Riley and William Burroughs. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2025
Noun
The Pasadena, California native earned second-team All-America honors in his senior year under then-head coach Roy Williams. Vaughn was also a two-time Academic All-America first-team selection (1996 and 1997) and was the 1997 Academic All-American of the Year. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2025 The San Diego native is just the seventh head coach in the SDSU program’s 90-year history. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for native
Recent Examples of Synonyms for native
Adjective
  • Explore colorful markets like the Witches’ Market, known for indigenous crafts and herbal remedies.
    Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • This status is contested between the Moroccans and the indigenous Sahrawi.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil lost 15 cents to $65.37 per barrel.
    Elaine Kurtenbach, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
  • About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • In theory, that should smooth some of the rough edges inherent to a first-time starting quarterback.
    Pete Sampson, New York Times, 18 June 2025
  • And this fact is unrelated to another fact: Israel unequivocally has an inherent right to exist.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Council members approved a couple of ordinances to change both the city charter and code to move the local election date to November 2024 — triggering a lawsuit by a handful of North Miami residents.
    Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 21 June 2025
  • The county has had 413 cases since late January — just under 2% of its residents.
    DEVI SHASTRI, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • The Guanches were aborigines of the Canary Islands.
    JP Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024
  • Breuil based his conclusions on contemporary anthropological observations of the Arunta aborigines in central Australia.
    Roger Lewin, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Adjective
  • The Verdict Lizard Island is rich with history (aboriginal and colonial) and is such an environmental wonder that researchers from around the world come here to study the reef.
    Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 30 May 2025
  • The American Kennel Club (AKC) explains that village dogs are also known as primitive, aboriginal, or landrace dogs.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Plums make their presence known along roadsides and in natural areas in spring when fragrant white blooms cover their bare branches.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
  • But their back-and-forth reveals a natural chemistry between the two writers.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • In a 2021 study published in Psychological Reports, researchers explored how intrinsic motivation, the internal drive to act based on interest, personal importance or inner values, affects satisfaction in long-term romantic relationships.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
  • Underlying all of this is the intrinsic tendency to resist cooperation.
    Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Native.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/native. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

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