settlers

Definition of settlersnext
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

Relevance
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 During that period, settlers flooded into the Utes’ former homelands, Andrews said. Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 20 May 2026 The process of transforming this area where many Palestinian families have lived for generations into a Jewish neighborhood has accelerated under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government, which includes two cabinet ministers who are settlers themselves. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 19 May 2026 The South African government has denied persecuting the ethnic minority, composed of descendants of European settlers, mostly from the Netherlands. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 May 2026 The region is estimated to have been home to over 300,000 Native people in the late 18th century when European settlers first arrived in California. William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 19 May 2026 Colossal is also working on de-extincting the dodo, another South Pacific flightless bird species wiped out by hungry settlers. David Bloom, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026 In Gaza in 2005, between 8,000 and 9,000 Israeli settlers were removed under the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who argued that the 21 settlements were expensive and hard to defend. Shira Pinson, NBC news, 17 May 2026 On Friday, settlers set fire to a mosque and vehicles in the village of Jibiya, northwest of Ramallah, Palestinian religious authorities said. Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2026 Jambalaya is a rice dish that traces back to early 18th-century South Louisiana, where Spanish settlers in New Orleans attempted to recreate paella using local ingredients. Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settlers
Noun
  • During the Pequot War, a conflict between Connecticut colonists and the Pequot tribe, Capt.
    USA Today, USA Today, 13 May 2026
  • In Ho Chi Minh City, bánh mì grew out of French colonization — the colonists brought the baguette, and Vietnamese bakers reworked it into something lighter and crispier.
    Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • Growing delays are leaving many immigrants, like Little Village resident Elizeth Arguelles, 31, trapped with uncertainty.
    Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • The growth was driven by immigrants, particularly from China and India.
    CBS News, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Busch and his wife Samantha, were pioneers in discussing infertility and their struggle to have children before bringing son Brexton and daughter Lennix into the world.
    Dianne Gallagher, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
  • CollegeHumor was part of a generation of online video pioneers—coming up well before YouTube and before short-form and streaming video became the lingua franca of the internet.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
Noun
  • On Wednesday, federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment for murder against Raúl Castro for his involvement in the 1996 shoot-down of two unarmed planes from Miami on a humanitarian mission to rescue Cuban migrants lost at sea.
    Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026
  • South African police fired rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of migrants seeking emergency refuge following a wave of vigilante assaults — violence that has escalated diplomatic tensions with Ghana and Nigeria.
    Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 May 2026
Noun
  • The Conestoga wagons, meant to replicate the vehicles used by emigrants on the Oregon Trail, are also luxurious.
    Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 18 May 2026
  • Those include sites like Bonneville Point – where emigrants got their first glimpse of the Boise River Valley and trail ruts can be seen – and Three Island Crossing State Park, named for the most crucial and challenging river crossing in the state.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Over 1,400 refugees were housed by the government in a compound and provided food and medical care, said Corey Malcom, the Florida Keys History Center’s lead historian.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 May 2026
  • Immigrants without legal status are ineligible for Medicaid benefits, but a swath of noncitizens qualify, such as green-card holders, asylees, and refugees.
    Andrew Jones, CBS News, 14 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Settlers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settlers. Accessed 24 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on settlers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster