native 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnā-tiv How to pronounce native (audio)
Definition of nativenext
1
as in indigenous
belonging to a particular place by birth or origin though she now lived in the Northeast, she was a native Midwesterner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crude
being such as found in nature and not altered by processing or refining diamonds in their native state are not the bright, flashy gems that one might imagine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in inherent
being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing a native energy and ambition that would allow him to rise above his humble beginnings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

native

2 of 2

noun

1
as in resident
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in aborigine
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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word native distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of native are aboriginal, endemic, and indigenous. While all these words mean "belonging to a locality," native implies birth or origin in a place or region and may suggest compatibility with it.

native tribal customs

When can aboriginal be used instead of native?

The meanings of aboriginal and native largely overlap; however, aboriginal implies having no known others preceding in occupancy of a particular region.

the aboriginal peoples of Australia

In what contexts can endemic take the place of native?

The synonyms endemic and native are sometimes interchangeable, but endemic implies being peculiar to a region.

a disease endemic in Africa

When might indigenous be a better fit than native?

The words indigenous and native are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, indigenous applies to that which is not only native but which, as far as can be determined, has never been introduced or brought from elsewhere.

indigenous plants

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 native
Adjective
Fortunately for women’s basketball fans in the area, Clark and the Fever will play the Mystics again in Baltimore on Sept. 7. Clark played in Washington in June as part of a weekend Mystics series that brought her Fever and Baltimore native Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky to the area. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025 Plants flower over a long season, supporting butterflies and native bees well into autumn. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
Noun
Some of the names may be familiar from the roads and places named for them — such as Army Private First Class Emory L. Bennett, a New Smyrna Beach native who died in Korea in an act of extraordinary courage, standing alone to draw enemy fire while the rest of his company retreated to safety. —Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 May 2025 This Florida native is cold hardy to 20°F and can be overwintered indoors in cooler regions. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for native
Recent Examples of Synonyms for native
  1. indigenous
  2. crude
  3. inherent
  4. resident
  5. aborigine
  6. aboriginal
  7. natural
  8. intrinsic
Adjective
  • European settlers generally took over and developed the most fertile land, eventually erasing signs of past indigenous practices with their own plowing and development.
    — Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 June 2025
  • Researchers worked in collaboration with indigenous communities, various international institutions and archaeologists, according to the release, and were able to study over 800 DNA samples from ancient human remains and recent medical cases showing signs of leprosy.
    — Nick Butler, FOXNews.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of indigenous
Adjective
  • The government’s finances are highly sensitive to fluctuations in crude prices, with oil and gas earnings making up around 30% of federal revenues in 2024, according Heli Simola, senior economist at the Bank of Finland.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 6 June 2025
  • Oil producers’ group OPEC+ decided to up its production levels despite weak crude prices, in what is being seen as a bid to hold on to its market share in a tough economic environment.
    — Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Definition of crude
Adjective
  • Loro Piana’s connection to the equestrian world was inherent from the very beginning, with brothers Pier Luigi and Sergio Loro Piana, the former co-owners of the Maison, both passoniate riders.
    — Felicity Carter, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • On the contrary, the power of the purse is reserved to Congress, and the President has no inherent authority to override Congress's will on domestic spending decisions.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
Definition of inherent
Noun
  • Our partners in the U.S. Coast Guard facilitated a safe and efficient transport of the alien offenders off Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, ensuring the safety of the residents of those communities.
    — Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
  • Miami, for example, requires city residents and employees to enroll for hurricane parking to be eligible.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Definition of resident
Noun
  • The Guanches were aborigines of the Canary Islands.
    — JP Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024
  • Breuil based his conclusions on contemporary anthropological observations of the Arunta aborigines in central Australia.
    — Roger Lewin, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Definition of aborigine
Adjective
  • The evolutionary anthropologist Joseph Henrich has summoned the example of the aboriginal Tasmanians, who were cut off from mainland Australia about ten thousand years ago.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Before the colonization of Australia, many aboriginal people buried dingoes with rites indistinguishable from those used for humans.
    — Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024
Definition of aboriginal
Adjective
  • Biologic dressings help to temporarily cover wounds and support the natural healing process, essentially aiding in either the wound healing on its own or preparing it for a surgical treatment to close it.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
  • The collaboration was a natural fit for Last Rhino founder Matt Hagerman, whose entire brewing career has been about balancing approachability with craftsmanship.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Definition of natural
Adjective
  • Prominent investors like Warren Buffett remain wary, emphasizing Bitcoin’s lack of intrinsic value and the possibility of regulatory crackdowns.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • The successful release once again proved the intrinsic value of Black content and the importance of creating meaningful marketing moments that lead to movements.
    — DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025
Definition of intrinsic

Browse Nearby Words

nationwide
native
natives
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Native.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/native. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on native

Nglish: Translation of native for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

Some Data About 'Datum'

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All