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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This is such a pivotal New York City song that Lorne Michaels asked Simon to sing it on the first SNL after 9/11.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2025
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Gymshark, known for its activewear and fitness community, recently established its first permanent U.S. flagship in New York.—
Brin Snelling,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Verb
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In order to establish a market rate for Orlik’s work, Ford proposed an exhibition at a friend’s gallery, in London.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
17 June 2025
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The nonprofit James Beard Foundation was established in 1986, shortly after chef and TV personality James Beard’s death.—
Marnie Hunter,
CNN Money,
17 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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London was originally founded as a city — Londinium — soon after the Roman invasion in A.D. 43, and has consistently yielded significant archaeological treasures.—
Willem Marx,
NPR,
20 June 2025
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Enslaved Black people were banned from reading and writing and even those who had their freedom couldn't always access formal schooling, so African Americans began founding colleges of their own.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Sindhu Bhaskar,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
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Lindell was one of the foremost conspiracy theorists in pushing claims that the election was stolen from Donald Trump.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
Verb
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The beloved shortstop wanted to be in Boston for his entire career, and even initiated a team-friendly extension to further that dream.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
16 June 2025
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The proceedings were initiated following a complaint filed by La Liga, which joined the case as a private prosecutor.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pioneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pioneer. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
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