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 Two-time Farmers champion Brandt Snedeker (2012, 2016) and San Diego natives Charley Hoffman and Michael Kim also are entered. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026 Some of those gathered were Venezuelan natives themselves. Melina Khan, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026 Venezuelan natives came together at Arepas Latin Cuisine in San Francisco Saturday afternoon. Amanda Hari, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026 The natives mine special depths of hostility when the old enemy is in town, but Covid and 18 years in the EFL doldrums have limited Elland Road fans to two league games in 22 years. Beren Cross, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026 The pair of Arkansas natives were among four Razorbacks on Wednesday who were reportedly preparing to enter the portal along with receiver Andy Jean and defensive end Kavion Henderson. Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 1 Jan. 2026 Kansas City natives Dylan Hufft and Lauren Ealey were coming back from vacation in Tampa Bay, Florida, and had to wait on their plane and then in the terminal for more than an hour for what their airline called a bomb threat. Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 31 Dec. 2025 Indeed, where temperatures stay above 40 degrees, this hybrid of two South African natives blooms all twelve months of the year in coastal gardens. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 2025 The two Milwaukee natives and veterans of the fire department met occasionally for breakfast to discuss work and life. Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natives
Noun
  • Below is a list of the top five books Cincinnati residents checked out the most in October, according to the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library system.
    Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Yet, dedicated foodies are now heading instead to Greenville, a charming city of just more than 70,000 residents, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
    Nevin Martell, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Following yet another renovation, the city’s inhabitants eventually relocated again to the quickly burgeoning city of Gothenburg, which remains a major center today.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The title refers to the series' universal optimism pandemic that has somehow swept the planet, creating one unnaturally cheerful global society out of the planet's billions of inhabitants.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Rising sea levels and relentless storms are erasing land faster than locals – or officials – can respond.
    Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Grab a beer at the pub or an ice cream from the shop; locals keep this one close to the chest.
    Alli Forde, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Natives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natives. Accessed 7 Jan. 2026.

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