natives

Definition of nativesnext
plural of native
1
as in residents
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 aborigines
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

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 natives For the young generation of digital natives navigating AI anxiety around keeping up with peers using the technology and AI displacing them from jobs, the fear of the technology making people dumber is dominant. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026 One that was made on his own terms, foregrounding Magellan’s potentially abusive past behavior and mistreatment of natives everywhere. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026 Ewart and Swensson – both of whom are Canadian natives – were two of just five players from a field of 176 to survive the 72-hole tournament at Ponte Vedra Beach. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026 In the late 1700s, when the Spanish built missions nearby at San Juan Bautista, Santa Clara, Carmel and Santa Cruz, natives often fled to avoid cruel conditions, tribal leaders have noted, hiding on Sargent Ranch, in the hills of Pacheco Pass, and other remote locations. Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026 Aside from the Pittsburgh-area natives selected to represent the United States, two other Pennsylvanians have been selected for Team USA. Mike Darnay, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026 Philadelphia natives Quinta Brunson, Kevin Bacon, and Questlove will all guest-star on The Simpsons' 800th episode. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026 Other than the survivor collab, Armstrong and Bay Area natives Green Day will be performing during the opening ceremony for the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in February. Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 23 Jan. 2026 Last year’s Oscars featured an arguably all-time best Colorado contingent, with Best Picture, Best Director and Best Animated Feature nominees all led by Colorado natives. John Wenzel, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natives
Noun
  • The city coordinates with community partners like Jericho Way to ensure transportation and shelter for homeless residents during periods when the city's temporary emergency shelter is demobilized.
    Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The call was arranged to help educate residents from all walks of life and sprawling corners of the nation, including here in Kansas City, on the constitutional right to record and document ICE actions and the risks associated with doing so.
    Mará Rose Williams January 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Half the contestants would be the colonists; the others, the island’s indigenous inhabitants.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • For one of the few times in the history of the remote arctic nation of roughly 56,000 inhabitants, Greenland is making international headlines.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The artworks invite guests and locals alike to engage with fine art in an approachable, lived-in setting.
    Emma Kershaw, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Some are refashioning themselves as community centers for locals who need warmth or free coffee while protesting or patrolling in the sub-freezing weather.
    Megan Sauer, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Natives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natives. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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