Thesaurus results for COLONISTS

colonists

noun

plural of colonist

as in settlers

a person who settles in a new region over time the colonists began to sense that they were becoming a people unto themselves

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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 colonists What happened to the colonists remains unknown, but archaeological finds—including otherwise anachronistic English artifacts on Hatteras Island—give some support to White’s theory that at least some of the colonists relocated willingly. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026 Like much of the valley, Gilroy stands on land that was first occupied by the native Amah Mutsun, then taken over by Spanish colonists and later became Mexico. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 The ancient route was first traveled by hunter-gatherers, before being used by Indigenous traders, Inca messengers, Spanish colonists, and railway workers, among others. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026 Religious symbols are best displayed in non-governmental spaces given that America was formed by colonists who fled England to seek freedom of religion. — Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2026 European colonists in Australia encountered a suite of venomous snakes just as fearsome as those of the Libyan desert. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026 For example, Indigenous people shared their knowledge of making tea from local plants and herbs with colonists. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026 The king refused to look at it, and issued the Proclamation of Rebellion, declaring the colonists traitors and hiring 30,000 German mercenaries to help crush them. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 4 July 2026 Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own. — Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonists

Noun

Rabah told The Associated Press that two settlers arrived with a tractor at his home in Khirbet al-Rakeez in the southern West Bank on Saturday afternoon.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Israel's military has deployed dozens of troops to the area and has since pushed the settlers back from the homes.

— Reuters, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of settlers

Noun

Pine rockland once covered much of the high ground in Miami-Dade where early pioneers settled.

— Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026
Summary Haley and Hanna Cavinder, pioneers of NIL, have successfully transitioned from influencers to founders, launching their own wellness brand, Go Two, and co-founding a tequila brand, Azucar.

— Kristi Dosh, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of pioneers

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“Colonists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonists. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of colonists

noun

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