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
Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 4 June 2026
No one knows for sure, but the documentary Crazy, Not Insane attempts to answer that question by examining the work of one pioneer within the field.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 June 2026
And tech’s latest hotspot – artificial intelligence – is being pioneered in the Golden State.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pioneer
Noun
The famed church was designed by architect Antoni Gaudi, a pioneer of Art Nouveau and modernisme, or Catalan Modernism.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 4 June 2026
No one knows for sure, but the documentary Crazy, Not Insane attempts to answer that question by examining the work of one pioneer within the field.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
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
ThreeASFOUR’s Gabi Asfour, Angela Donhauser and Adi Gil have been creating visionary clothing, drawing inspiration from natural forms and pioneering techniques, for over 25 years.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 June 2026
And tech’s latest hotspot – artificial intelligence – is being pioneered in the Golden State.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pioneer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pioneer
Noun
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Elk were once an abundant source of food in the Alleghenies, both for the Seneca and for the settlers streaming in.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
At the same time, the West Bank has experienced a wave of settler violence against Palestinians, with attackers rarely punished.—
Sam McNeil,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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The righty was later pulled after allowing singles to the first two batters of the fifth inning, both of whom later scored and counted against Morris’ statline.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
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The first serious legal challenge to the House settlement will come courtesy of a USC freshman linebacker.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The company's Pegasus rover is designed as part of a broader effort to establish a more permanent human presence on the moon.—
Karen Morfitt,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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The duo established themselves as fixtures of the tabloid era known for staging paparazzi photos, fueling feuds and embracing the attention that came with being reality television’s most famous pair.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
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Savannah was under British occupation in the fall of 1779, when colonists planned an attack to retake the city with help from French allies.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
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When other nearby ports were under British control during the Revolutionary War, the colonists were able to use Washington for resupply efforts.—
Caroline Eubanks,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX — rocket manufacturer, satellite internet service provider, AI firm and owner of X (aka Twitter) all rolled into one — has officially set a record for the biggest IPO in history with its initial stock pricing.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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The programming follows the chefs from initial concept and ingredient sourcing through recipe development and testing, offering passengers a behind-the-scenes look at how the meals came together.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Verdigreen, founded by Azie and Travis Shelhorse, specializes in revamping historic inns, with three sister properties in Savannah (the Gastonian, Eliza Thompson House, and Kehoe House) as well as the Hudson Valley and New Hampshire.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 June 2026
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According to Solomon Dersso, founding director of the pan-African policy think tank Amani Africa, the US pursuit of its own strategic interests is nothing new.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Construction began in 2006 after a competition that attracted some of the world’s foremost architectural firms and months of debate over whether to rebuild where thousands were killed in the 9/11 attacks.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Sheku’s universal appeal, which reaches far beyond traditional classical audiences, combined with his credibility as one of the world’s foremost cellists, makes this a unique acquisition for us.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The 50-year-old Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which was initiated in the aftermath of the Arab oil embargo, received its first barrels of oil in 1977 and steadily grew through 1990 to nearly 600 million barrels.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
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Howard said Anthony warned Austin not to touch him and had a right to defend himself after Austin initiated physical contact.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pioneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pioneer. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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