as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants
believes that someday humans will be sent to colonize Mars
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Recent Examples of colonize
The Caribbean island nation of around 159,000 was colonized by the Dutch in the 1600s and became a hub for the Atlantic slave trade.
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Pj Green,
Kansas City Star,
20 June 2026
The film also uncovers documentation of how the white settlers, with the implicit accord of the Canadian government, murdered thousands of Nuxalk in 1862 with the smallpox virus and colonized the land.
—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
17 June 2026
The king got his way, and the British empire began recruiting from every corner of the globe, where one in four people—many who looked nothing like his pale, pinkish self—owed him their allegiance and loyalty, having been colonized by the Crown.
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Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
In the late 17th century, France had colonized the western third of Hispaniola, the island that Haiti now shares with the Dominican Republic.
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Julia Gaffield,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonize
Pj Green,
Kansas City Star,
20 June 2026
The film also uncovers documentation of how the white settlers, with the implicit accord of the Canadian government, murdered thousands of Nuxalk in 1862 with the smallpox virus and colonized the land.
—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
17 June 2026
The king got his way, and the British empire began recruiting from every corner of the globe, where one in four people—many who looked nothing like his pale, pinkish self—owed him their allegiance and loyalty, having been colonized by the Crown.
—
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
In the late 17th century, France had colonized the western third of Hispaniola, the island that Haiti now shares with the Dominican Republic.
—
Julia Gaffield,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for colonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonize
Verb
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In a photo from a court document, a 12-gauge shotgun is shown inside a Rocky Ford residence inhabited by Mario Rocha.
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It would have been used by members of the Acheulo-Yabrudian culture, who inhabited the Levant, or the Near East, around 400,000-250,000 years ago.
Verb
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According to the complaint, the system automatically populated driver's license numbers when someone entered basic identifying information, such as a person's name and address.
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Both are high-traffic areas near the Mall sure to be populated by many fireworks-seeking tourists this weekend.
Verb
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Today, this part of the South Side seems to be almost entirely peopled by Black families.
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Ishaq has made a film peopled with women and boys who go beyond simple archetypes, setting joyful female solidarity against omnipresent conflict in a way designed to communicate with a broad demographic.
Cite this Entry
“Colonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonize. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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