1
as in pioneer
a person or group that originates new concepts, styles, and techniques
The Beatles are recognized as some of the greatest trailblazers of rock music.
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2
as in colonist
a person who settles in a new region
The Mayflower brought with it a group of European trailblazers, determined to make a home of that land dubbed "New England."
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Recent Examples of trailblazer
This is an ideal time to reflect on the brilliance, resilience and outstanding achievements of trailblazers like Mara Brock Akil to Angel Reese to Ursula Burns, to be reminded of what is possible.
—
Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
From performing traditional chinelo dances as a kid to watching his father DJ cumbia sonidera and banda sets in his neighborhood — Santy began experimenting with his own musical style since the pandemic, inspired by corridos tumbados trailblazers like Herencia de Patrones and Legado 7.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 30 Dec. 2025
There’s also the Palestinian techno artist Sama’ Abdulhadi, a trailblazer for her scene, who broke through in Beirut and has since turned mixing into a kind of activism.
—Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2025
Nosrat was often on soup duty at Alice Waters’ acclaimed Berkeley, California, bistro, which was a trailblazer in the farm-to-table movement.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trailblazer
Essence, 2 Jan. 2026
From performing traditional chinelo dances as a kid to watching his father DJ cumbia sonidera and banda sets in his neighborhood — Santy began experimenting with his own musical style since the pandemic, inspired by corridos tumbados trailblazers like Herencia de Patrones and Legado 7.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 30 Dec. 2025
There’s also the Palestinian techno artist Sama’ Abdulhadi, a trailblazer for her scene, who broke through in Beirut and has since turned mixing into a kind of activism.
—Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 26 Dec. 2025
Nosrat was often on soup duty at Alice Waters’ acclaimed Berkeley, California, bistro, which was a trailblazer in the farm-to-table movement.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trailblazer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailblazer
Noun
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His father, Carl Reiner, was a legendary pioneer in television who created the iconic 1960s comedy, The Dick Van Dyke Show.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
7 Jan. 2026
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Chua is often credited as one of the pioneers of modern mixology in Singapore.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Historians believe that the attack killed at least 400 colonists and soldiers, or about 1 in 6 Spaniards in New Mexico.—
Peter C. Mancall,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
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Baskets were a ubiquitous part of Chumash life before the colonists came.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The explorers held a small celebration and called their landing spot Point du Mardi Gras.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Jan. 2026
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Venezuela had been known to possess some crude — 15th-century Spanish explorers noticed indigenous people using oil for fires and asphalt to patch their canoes.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trailblazer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailblazer. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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