colony

noun

ˈkä-lə-nē How to pronounce colony (audio)
Definition of colonynext
1
as in plantation
a settlement in a new country or region the early history of New York City when it was a Dutch colony

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in community
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 colony Many Rwandans speak the language because the country was a Belgian colony until 1962. — Fatma Tanis, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 Auciello explains that trees need water to produce sap to force out an attacking colony of beetles. — Megan Schrader, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2026 For this filmmaking couple, reaching maturity as artists forged in the complex context of a modern colony hinges on acknowledging their limitations and still persevering. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 For as long as a queen is reproducing at a steady clip, all the other females in her colony will be totally infertile. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for colony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colony
  1. plantation
  2. community
  3. outpost
Noun
  • Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of deliberately setting forest and peatland fires to clear land cheaply, as investigators probe whether plantation companies financed the fires.
    — Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Many let their plantations fall victim to rot; others abandoned cocoa farming altogether.
    — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of plantation
Noun
  • Owner Matthew Doeding aims to create a community third space for gamers to gather and play.
    — Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The hospital was run by Louisiana State University, which determined that Katrina left the building too damaged to reopen — an assessment that was disputed by some hospital staff and community members.
    — JACK BROOK, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of community
Noun
  • Despite a paywall, a graphic on the piece shows data centers in these outposts beaming valuable data to the Middle Kingdom, which, to the American government, is unacceptable.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Homestead, a lower cost-of-living outpost that has lured residents south, saw gains in many area school enrollments over the last 14 years.
    — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of outpost

Browse Nearby Words

colonnades
colony
colophon
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Colony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colony. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on colony

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about colony

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