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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of natives
Young people are digital natives, but some may feel like their fluency with tech and social media may have come at the expense of real-world experiences.
—
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
His general game plan is to gather local recruits; bring home some KC natives via the transfer portal; and sign a few junior-college players.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
Despite the hardship, Davidson and Lampert, two Denver natives and George Washington High School graduates, see a silver lining.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Then, when a wildfire comes through and natives begin to regrow, they’re chomped back down, creating a vicious cycle.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
During its first week, The Post identified El Monte as Los Angeles, which some Southern California natives immediately pointed out is in fact a nearby suburb.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Just over half of county residents are California natives.
—Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
One that was made on his own terms, foregrounding Magellan’s potentially abusive past behavior and mistreatment of natives everywhere.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
Ewart and Swensson – both of whom are Canadian natives – were two of just five players from a field of 176 to survive the 72-hole tournament at Ponte Vedra Beach.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2026
His general game plan is to gather local recruits; bring home some KC natives via the transfer portal; and sign a few junior-college players.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2026
Despite the hardship, Davidson and Lampert, two Denver natives and George Washington High School graduates, see a silver lining.
—Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Then, when a wildfire comes through and natives begin to regrow, they’re chomped back down, creating a vicious cycle.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
During its first week, The Post identified El Monte as Los Angeles, which some Southern California natives immediately pointed out is in fact a nearby suburb.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Just over half of county residents are California natives.
—Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
One that was made on his own terms, foregrounding Magellan’s potentially abusive past behavior and mistreatment of natives everywhere.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
Ewart and Swensson – both of whom are Canadian natives – were two of just five players from a field of 176 to survive the 72-hole tournament at Ponte Vedra Beach.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for natives
Noun
-
The company is also committing financial support to local residents.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
-
In February 2024, the City Council appointed seven residents to serve.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Memories differ between the island inhabitants and Hein.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Rather than scrolling, people are reading of the mist that obscures Yorkshire moors and its inhabitants’ judgments.—
Hannah Benson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Across from shops fixing cars and selling coffee, a black-and-white brick building is where locals go for a place that’s classic and classy, though scrumptious bar bites and a half-price wine night are everyday draws.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
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But locals have described Tumbler Ridge as a hunting town where gun ownership is common, in interviews with the media.—
Richard Hall,
Time,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Natives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/natives. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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