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
And tribes in what is now California — which was colonized not once but three times — have a uniquely complex and shattered history.
—
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
Vietnam was colonized by the French, which largely explains why the banh mi is served on a French baguette.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Or maybe one dreams of leaving a dying Earth to colonize Mars or other distant planets.
—ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
But to house an entire nation underground for even a few days is akin to trying to colonize the moon: There are so many unknowns that even the most brilliant and thorough plans can easily fail.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colonize
Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025
Vietnam was colonized by the French, which largely explains why the banh mi is served on a French baguette.
—Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2025
Or maybe one dreams of leaving a dying Earth to colonize Mars or other distant planets.
—ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
But to house an entire nation underground for even a few days is akin to trying to colonize the moon: There are so many unknowns that even the most brilliant and thorough plans can easily fail.
—Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for colonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for colonize
Verb
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As the novel goes on, the more brutal a character’s conditions are, the more carefully Choi writes them, forcing readers to slow down and inhabit them.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2025
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With the help of vampire-biochemist Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode), Diana sets about solving the book's mysteries while avoiding attacks from angry spirits and monsters that inhabit the pages.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
1 June 2025
Verb
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The plan is to populate the development with lifestyle boutiques, storefronts and fast-casual spots.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
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To populate this murderer’s row of, well, murderers, Davidson races against the clock to court talent and get them to New York in time for filming.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Sure, your team is still peopled with the same flawed human beings, still maddeningly inconsistent and impossible to predict.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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Louis is the kind of polarizing character who people either really loved or loved to hate.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Colonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/colonize. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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