as in colonies
a settlement in a new country or region
the struggling plantation almost failed during the first winter
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Recent Examples of plantations
Early in the show, amid scenery that referenced plantations and colonialism, dancers dangled from utility lines in a reminder of the island’s fragile power grid.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Hot and dry forests become a tinderbox Record droughts and scorching temperatures created conditions conducive to wildfires in Chile and Argentina, the study found, while single-species plantations of highly flammable trees like pines helped the fires spread more easily in both areas.
—Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Though once vital to the economy of the American territory, Puerto Rico’s sugar plantations evolved to represent the destruction and exploitation of colonialism that continues to impact the region today—a detail not lost on those cast as grass.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Spain brought the crop to the island in the 1500s and set up massive plantations manned by slaves.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The neighborhood/area Surrounded by deeply luscious tea plantations, Halloowella is a 30-minute drive from the town of Hatton.
—Harriet Compston, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Located in historic Waipahu town, Hawaii's Plantation Village recreates one of the 19th-century sugar plantations that drew immigrant workers from countries like China, Portugal, Japan, and the Philippines, to name a few.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson planted pecans at their plantations, with Washington being known to carry them around in his pockets as a snack.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Based in Boston, the international corporation networked with dictators and local officials in Central America, many Caribbean islands and parts of South America to acquire immense estates for railroads and banana plantations.
—Aaron Coy Moulton, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Hot and dry forests become a tinderbox Record droughts and scorching temperatures created conditions conducive to wildfires in Chile and Argentina, the study found, while single-species plantations of highly flammable trees like pines helped the fires spread more easily in both areas.
—Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Though once vital to the economy of the American territory, Puerto Rico’s sugar plantations evolved to represent the destruction and exploitation of colonialism that continues to impact the region today—a detail not lost on those cast as grass.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Spain brought the crop to the island in the 1500s and set up massive plantations manned by slaves.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The neighborhood/area Surrounded by deeply luscious tea plantations, Halloowella is a 30-minute drive from the town of Hatton.
—Harriet Compston, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Located in historic Waipahu town, Hawaii's Plantation Village recreates one of the 19th-century sugar plantations that drew immigrant workers from countries like China, Portugal, Japan, and the Philippines, to name a few.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson planted pecans at their plantations, with Washington being known to carry them around in his pockets as a snack.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Based in Boston, the international corporation networked with dictators and local officials in Central America, many Caribbean islands and parts of South America to acquire immense estates for railroads and banana plantations.
—Aaron Coy Moulton, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plantations
colonies
Noun
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Throughout 2026, Iowans will be celebrating 250 years since the 13 colonies declared their independence in 1776.—
Des Moines Register,
Des Moines Register,
7 Feb. 2026
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The insects spend the majority of their lives hidden away inside their colonies, and generally only emerge to mate and migrate during swarming seasons in the spring and early summer.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plantations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plantations. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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