as in settler
a person who settles in a new region
the hardships that the pioneers endured while taming the wilderness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in first
coming before all others in time or order
the nation's pioneer institution for the education of African-Americans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
he single-handedly pioneered the university's institute for medical research
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pioneer
Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2025
El Salvador is still pioneering with its regulation around bitcoin, digital assets, and real-world assets, and if Panama finally enacts its own law and plan, other neighboring countries could feel compelled to do so.
—Javier Bastardo, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pioneer
Noun
Hollywood is paying tribute to Sly Stone after news of the funk-rock pioneer’s death was announced Monday.
—Mckinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025
Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Adjective
In tandem with the modernist movement of the 20th century was the Danish concept of functionalism; a design philosophy of form follows function, which was introduced by pioneer Danish architects like Poul Henningsen and Vilhelm Lauritzen.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
For example, Johnson has embraced what art historians call gestural abstraction, a spontaneous style of smearing, pouring or dribbling paint on canvas, pioneered by artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, who also incorporated figures into his expressive technique.
—Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2025
El Salvador is still pioneering with its regulation around bitcoin, digital assets, and real-world assets, and if Panama finally enacts its own law and plan, other neighboring countries could feel compelled to do so.
—Javier Bastardo, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pioneer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pioneer
Noun
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But European settlers and trappers killed off most of the big cats living in the eastern two-thirds of the continent.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 June 2025
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Biden’s sanctions on some West Bank settlers were eliminated.—
ALUF BENN,
Foreign Affairs,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
6 June 2025
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President Donald Trump flipped Miami-Dade red for the first time since George H.W. Bush won the presidency in 1988, riding new support throughout the majority-Hispanic county.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Verb
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In spite of his ability to carry the ball forward — a point of difference from his fellow midfielders — Willock has never quite established himself as integral, at least in part because of his struggles with injury.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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Russia and Ukraine have established red lines that make a quick deal unlikely, despite a U.S.-led international diplomatic push to stop the fighting.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 June 2025
Noun
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The thousands of white French colonists who fled Haiti and arrived in American communities after a particular moment of disruption in June 1793 were met with open arms, receiving support from private groups, state governments, and the U.S. Congress alike.—
Time,
Time,
9 June 2025
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Seventeenth-century colonists believed that hairstyling—such as its ornamentation and its length—offered important evidence of a person’s social identity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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For Russia, this began soon after its initial invasion failed to seize control of Kyiv and Ukraine’s government.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Huerta, 58, had been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles since Friday and made his initial appearance in federal court Monday afternoon.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The story behind the brand Hater Free Apparel was founded in 1999, inspired by brands like FUBU and Phat Farm, Gray said.—
Zuri Primos,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
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Both clubs were founded in the same working-class neighbourhood, known as the mouth of Buenos Aires.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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The foremost conflict playing out across the Middle East today is between Israel and Iran, a nation that already possesses a sophisticated and large-scale nuclear program.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Anthony Devlin/Press Association via AP What To Know The recall was initiated by Publix on May 9 and was classified by the FDA on June 3.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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Since it was initiated five months ago, the prescribed fire has burned 130 acres of private land.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pioneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pioneer. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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