as in settler
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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Recent Examples of colonist
Virginia is recognized as the birthplace of American wine, since colonists attempted the craft in the early 17th century.
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Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
The first Westerners to adopt pajamas were British colonists stationed in early 19th-century India.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 22 Dec. 2025
That symbol of gratitude and peaceful coexistence with the English colonists ended in grief for the Wampanoag people, without whom the colonists would not have survived.
—NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
Not surprisingly, some colonists preferred to be layabouts.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 27 Nov. 2025
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonist
Noun
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Changing climate drove Norse settlers out of Greenland 700 years ago.—
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Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has continued to escalate for months as mobs of settler extremists attempt to force the civilians out of their homes, clashing with Israel Defense Forces personnel sent to quell the crowds at times.—
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.—
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Chua is often credited as one of the pioneers of modern mixology in Singapore.—
Noun
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As John Kucich notes, Thoreau was a dedicated student of native cultures but largelyrelied on ethnographic accounts written from a settler-colonial perspective.—
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Collections include Islamic art and architecture as well as objects from Italian colonial rule, World War II and Libya's independence, with galleries dedicated to the prehistoric period and ancient Libyan tribes, such as the Garamantes.—
Cite this Entry
“Colonist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonist. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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