NONNATIVE Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

nonnative 1 of 2

adjective

ˌnän-ˈnā-tiv

as in foreign

being, relating to, or characteristic of a country other than one's own nonnative customs that made the recent immigrants stand out in their new country

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nonnative

2 of 2

noun

as in stranger

a person who is not native to or known to a community the problems encountered by a nonnative after moving into a close-knit community

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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 nonnative

Adjective

They have been introduced in other waters and, like nonnative blue catfish, are thriving in several tidal rivers, such as Virginia’s James River. —

Ken Perrotte, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026 Lee’s priorities include expanding civic engagement and language accessibility, with an aim to demystify legal proceedings for students and nonnative English speakers. —

Jon Regardie, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026 According to Headrick, carpenter bees also pollinate nonnative species such as blueberries, melons, tomatoes, eggplant and squash. —

Sarah Linn april 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026 Threats to the Banbury Springs limpet include habitat modification due to hydroelectric dams, decreased groundwater quality and competition from nonnative species such as the New Zealand mudsnail, according to the Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation. —

Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2026 Hilgert also suggested swapping out thirsty nonnative lawn turf for more resilient native grasses, like buffalograss or blue grama grass. —

Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026 The fire trend is linked to the proliferation of nonnative and highly flammable grasses, particularly on fallowed landscapes once used for sugar and pineapple plantations. —

Evan Bush, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026 At American firms, accent bias can quietly shape whose ideas gain traction at work by depressing attention and engagement for speakers with nonnative English accents. —

Aliah Zewail, Harvard Business Review, 17 Mar. 2026 Points are also given for sustainable practices, with activities in at least two of four categories – soil and water conservation, controlling nonnative species, reducing pollution and reduce/reuse/recycle. —

Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonnative

Adjective

The irony here is that much of this cultural golden era is pouring out of the Chinese internet, the most censored and surveilled digital ecosystem on the planet, existing behind a Great Firewall that’s designed to keep China’s internet users in, and foreign influences out.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 11 Dec. 2025
The government attributed the contraction largely to a plunge in output from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, noting recent volatility in foreign trade linked to new US tariffs.

— Olesya Dmitracova, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025