as in settler
a person who settles in a new region
the hardships that the pioneers endured while taming the wilderness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in first
coming before all others in time or order
the nation's pioneer institution for the education of African-Americans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to establish
to be responsible for the creation and early operation or use of
he single-handedly pioneered the university's institute for medical research
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 pioneer
CBS News, 5 Mar. 2025
The remote outposts where modern pioneers are putting old mining towns back on the map.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 3 Mar. 2025
Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
More recently, the country has pioneered coupling different drone systems for specific missions.
—Mick Ryan, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pioneer
Noun
The nation founded by pioneers and risk takers, now drowns under millions and millions of pages of regulations and debt.
—CBS News, 5 Mar. 2025
The remote outposts where modern pioneers are putting old mining towns back on the map.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
In tandem with the modernist movement of the 20th century was the Danish concept of functionalism; a design philosophy of form follows function, which was introduced by pioneer Danish architects like Poul Henningsen and Vilhelm Lauritzen.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
Durham said Caro Quintero and his associates pioneered drug trafficking routes through Colombia, Mexico and into the United States, building one of the most significant drug organizations in the world that trafficked heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025
More recently, the country has pioneered coupling different drone systems for specific missions.
—Mick Ryan, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pioneer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pioneer
Noun
-
Viewers see the local playground being torn down, the killing of Adra’s brother by Israeli soldiers, and other attacks by Jewish settlers while the community tries to survive.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
-
On Shackleford Banks, keep an eye out for the island’s famed wild horses, which are descended from Spanish mustangs brought and abandoned by European settlers in the 1500s.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
On the other hand, Creed is a seasoned campaigner in the Xfinity Series but is still chasing his first win.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Now Tennessee has staked a claim to the first No. 1 seed in program history with a stirring comeback, charging back from a nine-point deficit in the final 10 minutes.—
Joe Rexrode,
The Athletic,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The actress established her career with major roles in Corrina, Corrina (1994) and Waterworld (1995) before Mars and Napoleon Dynamite (2004) introduced her to new audiences.—
Sezin Koehler,
EW.com,
1 Mar. 2025
-
One of the city’s key goals outlined in its 2022 plan to reduce homelessness was to establish a permanent low-barrier shelter.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In the 1750s and 1760s, British troops forcibly removed French colonists from Acadia in Nova Scotia and recruited thousands of Colonists from neighboring New England to move north.—
G. Patrick O'Brien,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2025
-
This is the violent sleight of hand of the colonist, the oppressor.—
Christine Winter,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The information released by the state to the public gives no indication what might happen if an inmate survives the initial shots.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
-
While the team has become the most successful spring football league franchise, dating back to the years of the initial United States Football League in the 1980s, the Stallions’ growing trophy collection hasn’t quite translated to the team’s bottom line.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Hendrick’s was founded a little over a quarter century ago in 1999 and was considered to be kind of a disruptor in a category mostly known for juniper-heavy London dry style gins (many of which are excellent in their own right, to be clear).—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
4 Mar. 2025
-
To qualify for consideration, each company was required to employ more than 50 people, to have been founded between 2015 and 2022, and to be an independent business (not a spinoff of a larger corporation).—
Haniya Rae,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The biographical circumstances and the reddish tinge of the foremost prisoner’s hair have led commentators to interpret the image metaphorically, even solipsistically––the prisoner becomes a cipher for van Gogh, physically and psychologically incarcerated.—
Sarah C. Schaefer,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Christian Oberbeck,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The taste and odor of Raleigh's tap water might change over the next few weeks as the city initiates its yearly water disinfection process.—
Zachery Eanes,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Companies across the country had pledged sweeping support for diversity efforts after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in 2020 initiated a national social justice movement.—
Angela Yang,
NBC News,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pioneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pioneer. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share