COLONIAL Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

colonial 1 of 2

adjective

kə-ˈlō-nē-əl

Definition of colonial

as in social

tending to group with others of the same kind colonial organisms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

colonial

2 of 2

noun

as in settler

a person who settles in a new region European colonials who built coffee plantations in East Africa

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 colonial

Adjective

The village’s colonial founders were unwise to set their community on the river. — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026 As explored in my recent book, this dialect formed from linguistic variation that came in with colonial-era settlers from different places and stations. — Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026

Noun

Then more arrive, with increasing menace, turning husband and wife against one another and leading to inevitable revelations, both about an incident from Georges’ childhood as well as France’ brutal colonial past. — David Faris, TheWeek, 14 Sep. 2026 The two of them live on-site in what looks like a family home straight out of a 1990s Disney film, a white colonial home with blue shutters. — Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for colonial

Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonial

Adjective

Those fiscal strains come as political volatility and social unrest raise doubts about the government’s ability to deliver measures aimed at stabilizing the public finances.

— Jenni Reid,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Growing up in Canada, Fielder was raised by two social workers, attended public school, and didn’t have cable television at home.

— Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of social

Noun

Advertisement For years, Ben-Gvir remained on the fringes of Israeli politics, a familiar presence at settler demonstrations but an unlikely candidate for national office.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
The administration has also encouraged Israel to crack down on settler violence in the West Bank and cut a longer-term deal with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

— James LaPorta, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of settler

Noun

In a statement sent to The Charlotte Observer, her daughter Hatiya Dunlap said Leeper was a multifaceted broadcasting pioneer whose lasting legacy extends far beyond her on-air work.

— Chase Jordan October 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
Founded in 1986 in Guadalajara, Mexico, Maná is considered a pioneer of rock en español.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of pioneer

Noun

The original model for the kind of adversarial speech the First Amendment aims to protect, McGrane said, was the speech American colonists used against the British.

— Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026
The animals reached Spain during the Roman Empire and were later brought to what is now Mexico by Spanish colonists in the 1500s.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of colonist

Browse Nearby Words

Colonel Blimp

colonial

colonials

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Style

“Colonial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonial. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of colonial

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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