natives

noun

plural of native
1
as in residents
a usually longtime resident of a locality the natives seem to resent the summer tourists even though they depend upon them for their livelihood

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aborigines
a member of the first people to inhabit a region the anthropologist spent two years living among the island's natives and observing and documenting their customs and traditions

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 natives Carter and Hammer are Oakland natives, and Carter was Hammer’s lead choreographer and backup dancer at the peak of the rapper’s career in the late 1980s and early 1990s. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Landscape architects, developers, and institutions are taking note and considering how trees, natives, water, habitat, and access to green space can be integrated into spaces to support people’s overall well-being. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 Sep. 2026 Yes, although there are many more options among those that sell both native plants and non-native plants than nurseries that only sell local natives. — Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 1 Sep. 2026 Two Cincinnati natives have topped Rolling Stone's Most Influential Creators of 2026 list. — Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026 At this point, researchers say, invasives outnumber the natives. — Alex Harris august 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 All are German natives and Peterka and Reichel both represented Germany at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 20 Aug. 2026 Hong Kong natives Jerry and Joe Chen and Jerry’s wife, Janice, have served Chinese comfort food for nearly four decades but also made room for this hometown favorite. — Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026 Kraken, founded in 2011, historically has been the exchange that serves crypto natives. — Tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natives
  1. residents
  2. inhabitants
  3. locals
Noun
  • Baltimore-area residents can expect a mostly sunny and comfortable Saturday before temperatures climb into the 90s and chances for showers and thunderstorms return during the coming week.
    — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 29 Aug. 2026
  • His campaign website includes a section dedicated to investing in rural communities, and Talarico has focused on data center policy in recent weeks, holding a roundtable in Abilene on the subject that has rattled the state’s rural residents.
    — Eleanor Dearman Updated August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of residents
Noun
  • There, the tyrannical February has condemned its inhabitants to eternal winter and forbids them from flying, while a masked resistance movement known as The Solution fights to restore light and freedom.
    — Alexandra Patterson, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The infamous explosion covered Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic debris, immortalizing the final moments of the ancient Roman cities and some of their unfortunate inhabitants in stunning detail.
    — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of inhabitants
Noun
  • The disaster occurred just off the coast of Kyrenia, a popular holiday resort for both locals and tourists.
    — Reuters, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Well, some travelers have put one particular doughy delight at the center of their itineraries, much to the chagrin of unassuming locals.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of locals

Browse Nearby Words

native
natives
nativism
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Cite this Entry

“Natives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natives. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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