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
  • Harriet Tubman, along with her brothers Ben and Henry, fled from the plantation in Maryland where they were enslaved.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • It was shot at what was once the largest operating plantation in Jamaica.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of plantation
Noun
  • The National Weather Service called for blowing dust early Friday evening and a 20% chance of rain on Sunday for nearby Gerlach, Nevada, a community of 58 people about 100 miles north of Reno.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Last Air in Moscow was driven by its bustling, vibrant sense of community.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on colony

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about colony

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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