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 film focuses on three of these women—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—who were trailblazers for African American women in science and engineering.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Apr. 2026
Legends, trailblazers and crowd favorites Beyond Lovano, the 2026 lineup reads like a cross-generational jazz hall of fame.
—Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Uzbekistan will make that two this summer, but the question is whether the 2006 trailblazers will be there as well.
—Will Jeanes, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2026
As some tech trailblazers in recent years have become more comfortable with developing weapons, Southern California has emerged as a hub for defense tech startups.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Outside’s 2026 Travel Awards feature 25 trailblazers, places to stay, and travel companies that are rewriting the rules of adventure.
—The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
The vinyl boom started in the late 2000s as a more niche trend among audiofiles and indieheads, with alt-rock figures like Jack White serving as early trailblazers evangelizing the format.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
Entrepreneurs come in many types, and a significant percentage of trailblazers are women.
—Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 15 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
Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Apr. 2026
Legends, trailblazers and crowd favorites Beyond Lovano, the 2026 lineup reads like a cross-generational jazz hall of fame.
—Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 25 Mar. 2026
Uzbekistan will make that two this summer, but the question is whether the 2006 trailblazers will be there as well.
—Will Jeanes, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2026
As some tech trailblazers in recent years have become more comfortable with developing weapons, Southern California has emerged as a hub for defense tech startups.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Outside’s 2026 Travel Awards feature 25 trailblazers, places to stay, and travel companies that are rewriting the rules of adventure.
—The Editors, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
The vinyl boom started in the late 2000s as a more niche trend among audiofiles and indieheads, with alt-rock figures like Jack White serving as early trailblazers evangelizing the format.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
Entrepreneurs come in many types, and a significant percentage of trailblazers are women.
—Metro Creative Services, Boston Herald, 15 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trailblazers
Noun
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Schilling Elementary School in Newark is packed with young pioneers, willing to get their hands dirty.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Time and time again, pioneers of new platforms have also bought up content and influenced conversations about those platforms.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Portugal and Germany in Southern Africa For much of the 19th century, Portuguese colonists in Angola and Mozambique were fewer in number and weaker in authority than those in the interior of South Africa.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The aiyi have sent an emissary to Scythia, who will determine whether the colonists deserve to survive.—
Stephanie Burt,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lunar craters are named after engineers, explorers, or scientists who died at least three or more years ago, according to NASA, but some names are also chosen by astronauts during lunar exploration.—
Yi-Jin Yu,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist and a member of the Canadian Space Agency, honored the efforts of earlier space explorers as the crew broke the record and implored future generations to carry on their mission.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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New Mexico More than half of Route 66 cuts through sovereign Native American lands, often tracing routes used by tribes long before settlers arrived.—
Susan Montoya Bryan,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Named for the Kiawah people who called this island home when British settlers first arrived in 1670, Kiawah Island fronts the Atlantic with ten miles of beach.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Trailblazers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trailblazers. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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