1
as in pioneers
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 colonists
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 trailblazers
The Thorns are trailblazers in American and global women’s soccer.
—
Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Both the film’s protagonist and the filmmaking behind The French Connection were trailblazers in their own way.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
She was drawn by the burgeoning independent living community, led by trailblazers like Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann, who years prior had started pushing for more rights and resources.
—Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
There are so many trailblazers who have come before me, paving the way and cracking glass ceilings that once felt unbreakable.
—Brittany Pettersen, Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Some of them are trailblazers, some fought in war; others fought in a courtroom, or for equality in sports and business.
—CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
The summit will recognize trailblazers in fashion, beauty and philanthropy.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
Wonder women in American history Who were most transformative female organizers, creators, activists, innovators, revolutionaries and trailblazers in American history?
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
While Jolie is not one of the trend’s trailblazers, the dress did not feel outside of her wheelhouse.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Both the film’s protagonist and the filmmaking behind The French Connection were trailblazers in their own way.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
She was drawn by the burgeoning independent living community, led by trailblazers like Ed Roberts and Judy Heumann, who years prior had started pushing for more rights and resources.
—Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
There are so many trailblazers who have come before me, paving the way and cracking glass ceilings that once felt unbreakable.
—Brittany Pettersen, Denver Post, 27 Feb. 2026
Some of them are trailblazers, some fought in war; others fought in a courtroom, or for equality in sports and business.
—CBS News, 20 Feb. 2026
The summit will recognize trailblazers in fashion, beauty and philanthropy.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
Wonder women in American history Who were most transformative female organizers, creators, activists, innovators, revolutionaries and trailblazers in American history?
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
While Jolie is not one of the trend’s trailblazers, the dress did not feel outside of her wheelhouse.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailblazers
Noun
-
This team will be viewed as pioneers for a school that had never reached a state championship game in any team sport.—
Rick Cantu,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The lake’s volume had fallen about 67% since pioneers settled the valley.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Virginia is recognized as the birthplace of American wine, since colonists attempted the craft in the early 17th century.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This practice outraged the American colonists, who believed that general warrants enabled tyranny by empowering officers to enter homes and businesses at will.—
Amanda Cats-Baril,
Twin Cities,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
More than 40 backcountry explorers saw avalanches on various Colorado mountain ranges between Friday and Sunday, according to field reports submitted to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
8 Mar. 2026
-
All the members of their immediate family were competitive Nordic ski racers, and their mother, father, and grandfather were vaunted polar explorers.—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The area was later named in his honor, as more settlers moved in.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Volkspele were historical cosplay events for preteens, musical re-enactments of the Great Trek — the 19th-century migration of Afrikaner settlers away from British rule, heading inland in ox-wagons, that has been mythologized through tales of women and children crossing the Drakensberg barefoot.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trailblazers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailblazers. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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