native 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnā-tiv How to pronounce native (audio)
Definition of nativenext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in inherent
being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing a native energy and ambition that would allow him to rise above his humble beginnings

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Sticky snow covered the branches, along with occasional yellow dots of llao llao, an edible fungus native to the region. —Scott Yorko, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025 The eldest of Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård’s eight children, Alexander was paying his dues in his native country until HBO came calling. —Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Bronx native remembered being warned about Mars. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025 The Massachusetts native launched Barstool Sports in 2003 as a free sports-betting paper for Boston bars and turned it into one of the most influential media brands in the country. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for native
Recent Examples of Synonyms for native
  1. indigenous
  2. crude
  3. inherent
  4. resident
  5. aborigine
  6. aboriginal
  7. natural
  8. intrinsic
Adjective
  • The Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail showcases creative ways indigenous people used this desert landscape to their advantage.
    — Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
  • An accomplished drummer and guitarist, Becker has dedicated his adult life to issues of international human rights and social justice, documenting war crimes in Lebanon, genocide in Rwanda, and the torture of the indigenous people of India.
    — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of indigenous
Adjective
  • The El Segundo refinery, built in 1911, processes 276,000 barrels of crude oil daily, the company said on its website.
    — Hanna Park, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • The El Segundo oil refinery is capable of refining 290,000 barrels of crude oil per day, Chevron says on its website, and its primary products are gasoline, jet and diesel.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of crude
Adjective
  • Yet once someone had suggested the inherent instability in a relationship between writers, there seemed to be no way to defuse the assessment.
    — Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
  • In the 13-episode epic, Our Blues’ Kim Woo-bin stars as Iblis, a Satanic genie who is utterly convinced of humanity’s inherent greed.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of inherent
Noun
  • My priority is transparent, accountable leadership that puts residents first and keeps our community affordable, safe and thriving for all.
    — Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2025
  • While federal officials maintain that only criminals are being targeted, local advocates and community leaders say lawful residents and families with pending cases have also been detained, deepening fears that the crackdown is casting too wide a net and eroding public trust.
    — Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Definition of resident
Noun
  • The Guanches were aborigines of the Canary Islands.
    — JP Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024
  • The bill’s sponsors insisted their motives were not racist, although, one of the sponsors, state Sen. Scott Beason, later recorded himself referring to black people as aborigines while wearing a wire for the FBI.
    — Kyle Whitmire, al, 22 Nov. 2019
Definition of aborigine
Adjective
  • While some people express concerns, the AKC noted that many cultures throughout history have considered co-sleeping with animals as beneficial, such as aboriginal Australians who slept beside their dogs for warmth and protection.
    — Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Heyerdahl built this replica of the aboriginal balsa raft to test his theories that the ancient Peruvians reached Polynesia with this transport.
    — Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of aboriginal
Adjective
  • Founded by actress Tia Mowry, the brand makes products that move your natural hair journey along — swiftly, softly, and cleanly.
    — Annie Blackman, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The demand for natural fibers is on the rise, but for agricultural inputs like cotton, there is a limit to how much the crops can keep up with demand.
    — SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of natural
Adjective
  • As of this Monday production has resumed, but the reverberations of the event reflects beer’s intrinsic tie to national identity (like Guinness to the Irish).
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Look for notes of maple, spice, and burnt orange peel, as the bourbon’s intrinsic character is augmented by this artful secondary maturation.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of intrinsic

Browse Nearby Words

nationwide
native
natives
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Cite this Entry

“Native.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/native. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.

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