colonies

noun

plural of colony
1
as in plantations
a settlement in a new country or region the early history of New York City when it was a Dutch colony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in communities
a group of people with a common interest living in one place New Hampshire's MacDowell colony was founded as a summer residence for writers and composers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 colonies Electronic circuits move electrical signals through wires, while these biological circuits move molecules between bacterial colonies. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026 Both former colonies of Japan, the two came to rely on exports to drive growth – first labor-intensive goods like garments in the 1960s, followed by electronics such as home appliances in the 1970s and ’80s. — John Liu, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026 Yet still the colonies’ differences with Britain descended into war. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 In the British colonial holdings of the West Indies and American colonies, these slave-owning colonizers and plantation administrators were predominantly Protestant. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 This helped ensure that the Declaration would be passed unanimously by all 13 colonies. — Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026 Its catch in 1931, including yields from colonies such as Korea and Taiwan, which was under Japanese control from 1895 to 1945, accounted for roughly 44% of the global total, according to Japan’s Fisheries Bureau. — Pei-Hsu Lin, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026 The completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885 physically linked separate colonies and territories into one country and connected the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific. — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 14 Aug. 2026 These social wasps build colonies and defend their nests to the death. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonies
  1. plantations
  2. communities
  3. outposts
Noun
  • The calls for supernatural aid often consisted of individuals’ attempts to protect themselves and strike back against slave owners under the extreme inequities and traumas of the plantations.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The largest fire has been reported in the village of Sungai Gelam in the Muaro Jambi district, where dozens of hectares of oil palm plantations owned by local residents have been destroyed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of plantations
Noun
  • Romanian officials have warned that the danger to border communities is very real.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • As some communities across the country are choosing to end their relationship with Flock Safety and its license plate readers over privacy and police misuse concerns, several Chicago suburbs are renewing their use of the controversial police tool.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of communities
Noun
  • Al Sharaa reached an agreement with Moscow just days ago over two key Russian outposts in Syria; the Mediterranean coastal bases will be transferred to Syrian control.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Radical settlers have established hundreds of additional outposts without government authorization, while still enjoying protection from the Israeli military and often other public services.
    — Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of outposts

Browse Nearby Words

colonials
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Cite this Entry

“Colonies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonies. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on colonies

Nglish: Translation of colonies for Spanish Speakers

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