natives

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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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 The New Jersey natives performed on Thanksgiving in 2022 in Dallas when the Cowboys defeated the New York Giants. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 11 Sep. 2026 Some longtime residents are Milwaukee natives, but many migrated from the South or nearby Midwestern states and made this city their home. April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 2026 In 1972, Little Feat expanded to a six-piece that included two Delaney & Bonnie sidemen who were Louisiana natives, bassist Kenny Gradney and percussionist Sam Clayton. Al Shipley, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026 Having evolved in our climate with both droughts and torrential rains, natives are naturally drought-tolerant. Paula Weatherby, Florida Times-Union, 5 Sep. 2026 Carter and Hammer are Oakland natives, and Carter was Hammer’s lead choreographer and backup dancer at the peak of the rapper’s career in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Landscape architects, developers, and institutions are taking note and considering how trees, natives, water, habitat, and access to green space can be integrated into spaces to support people’s overall well-being. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 Sep. 2026 Yes, although there are many more options among those that sell both native plants and non-native plants than nurseries that only sell local natives. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2026 After the two Hanson natives stole the show at the start, Angel City scored four straight goals. Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 1 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natives
Noun
  • Lineage has been a pariah in the community, with residents and Los Angeles officials speaking out after the company missed the city’s 45-day deadline to remove the waste.
    Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The board’s original August notice alleged that visitors parked along private streets and could impede residents or emergency vehicles.
    Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Its inhabitants won their freedom from Spain by royal decree in 1691.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The film offers a portrait of a remote Salvadoran village whose inhabitants carry the memory of a massacre during the country’s civil war.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Along the way, Rice helped to schedule events in various NFL cities, including ride-alongs with locals and tours around stadiums.
    Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Traditional political parties were banned, and a council of locals began directly managing the town’s funds.
    Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Natives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natives. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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