settlers

plural of settler
1
as in colonists
a person who settles in a new region settlers learning to live in peace with the natives

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2

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 settlers Over the past two years, the Shehadehs have made several attempts to return to their land and their crops – only to be pushed back by settlers, the army or both. Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025 White South Africans, whose roots can be traced to settlers arriving under Dutch and British colonial rule, dominated the country through a system of racial segregation known as apartheid from 1948 until its abolishment in the early 1990s. Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025 Finally, the South, where European settlers made their mark, highlights Santa Catarina and the surf beaches of Florianópolis. Jade Moyano, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025 With settlers in government, such plans cannot be dismissed as fringe. Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025 Many of those new settlers helped lay the groundwork for Oregon's present success ‒ from Nike to tech companies like Intel, along with farming, logging and agriculture. Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025 The trail traces nearly 100 miles of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, a route that once carried traders, settlers, and dreamers westward during America’s frontier expansion. Erin Gifford, Outside, 30 Oct. 2025 Afrikaners, who are descendants of primarily Dutch colonial settlers who arrived in South Africa in the 1600s, governed the country from 1948 to 1994 and imposed racial separation laws known as apartheid. Annika Neklason, Time, 30 Oct. 2025 Burn scars on old trees and historical records from early European settlers speak to Indiana forests where regular burning took place. Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settlers
Noun
  • The Beaver Moon takes its name from early Native American tribes as well as American colonists, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, when beavers begin sheltering in their lodges after gathering enough food to last the winter.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The story, historically told from the white pilgrim's perspective, is that colonists shared a meal with the indigenous Wampanoag people to give thanks for a successful fall harvest.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Many rank-and-file enlistees were also recent immigrants, and patriot regiments hummed with a cacophony of different tongues, accents, and dialects throughout the war.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • New York was built by immigrants such as Italians, Irish and lately, Hispanics, many of whom assimilated into the fabric of the city and eventually became woven into the culture.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Newcomers began to arrive almost immediately, with the growth driven by the forty-niners ‒ the gold-seeking pioneers who began flocking west in 1849.
    Andre Byik, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Soundgarden Soundgarden are widely considered one of the great pioneers of grunge.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Now, Tapachula is experiencing a reverse migration, as the United States sends planeload after planeload of deportees to the southern part of Mexico while the flow of migrants headed north has dried up.
    Daniel Gonzalez, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Armed agents, who once apprehended migrants across the US’s borders and stopped drug and human trafficking operations, now stand sentinel over federal immigration facilities that are the sites of immigration protests.
    Andy Rose 19 hr ago, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • But while many Israeli emigrants have embarked on new lives in Cyprus, Canada and Thailand, according to DellaPergola’s analysis, few are prepared to speak publicly, citing a mistrust of the media and fear of anti-Israel sentiment.
    Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
  • An article in The Guardian in May 2025 reported that a record number of emigrants left New Zealand in 2023 and 2024.
    Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The move by the White Housemarks a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s ceiling of 125,000 refugees last year.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Eritreans, who make up the second largest share of refugees recorded in Libya according to the United Nations, fall into this group.
    Mick Krever, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Settlers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settlers. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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