colonize
verb
col·o·nize
ˈkä-lə-ˌnīz 
variants
also British colonise
colonized; colonizing; colonizes
1
a
transitive + intransitive
: to take control of (a people or area) especially as an extension of state power : to claim (someone or something) as a colony
areas colonized by European powers
It [Aléria, France] was, at different times in history, colonized by the Greeks, Etruscans, Carthaginians, and Romans.—
Kristina Killgrove
Kristina KillgrovePacific Islanders—Hawaiians, Samoans, the Chamorro of Guam—were and remain colonized by the United States …—Viet Thanh Nguyen
Viet Thanh NguyenBefore the U.S.'s occupation of the roughly 7,500 islands, Spain colonized the Philippines and Mexico concurrently for around 300 years …—Amanda Albee
Amanda AlbeeAs the indigenous people of North America, Native Americans were colonized on their own land, the places to which they trace their social, cultural, and religious origins.—Kate A. Berry et al.
Kate A. Berry et al.Portuguese officials are keenly aware of their checkered legacy. They were the first Europeans to colonize in Asia …—Mark Landler
Mark Landler
b
transitive
: to migrate to and settle in (an inhabited or uninhabited area) : to establish a colony in
the areas of New England colonized by the Puritans
… the seaside town of Puerto Madryn, named by the Welsh settlers who colonized the few river valleys of Patagonia.—Anita McConnell
Anita McConnell
(1)
biology, of an organism
: to spread to and develop in a new area or habitat
… usually the first plant to colonize newly formed sand spits and newly deposited sands on the barrier islands …—Robert H. Mohlenbrock
Robert H. Mohlenbrock
(2)
medical, of a microorganism
: to multiply in or on a host or an inanimate object or surface
C. diff. is a spore-forming, toxin-producing bacterium that can colonize the large intestine and wreak havoc there …—Jane E. Brody
Jane E. Brody… the bacteria that colonize our gut and play a key role in keeping us healthy.—Katie Hunt
Katie HuntMicroorganisms, particularly normal skin flora, colonize and form biofilms quickly on catheter surfaces …—Daryl S. Paulson
Daryl S. Paulson2
transitive
: to take or make use of (something) without authority or right : appropriate
Parked cars have colonized city streets for so long that most people assume cars own the curb lane.—Donald Shoup
Donald Shoup"Before colonizing the artistic and intellectual work of Black people, white people should ask themselves questions such as, how can I contribute to this Black person's wellbeing? Am I studying this work for the explicit purpose of Black liberation, or are my motives fundamentally selfish?"—Amanda Bennett
Amanda Bennett
Examples of colonize in a Sentence
The area was colonized in the 18th century.
Weeds quickly colonized the field.
The island had been colonized by plants and animals.
Recent Examples on the Web
Of course, Bradley also hasn’t found himself, unlike Jack, inside a hyper-realistic virtual reality game used as a recruiting tool for an alien race hoping to colonize Earth in roughly 400 years.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
During the Cretaceous period, which started around 145 million years ago, an explosion of new flowering plant species spread across the Earth’s surface, colonizing many different habitats.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Some Okinawans feel that Japan and the U.S. have colonized and sacrificed them.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
At the same time, populations that had been colonized and enslaved were held up as posture paradigms for the élite to emulate: the American Posture League rewarded successful students with congratulatory pins that featured an image of an extremely upright Lenape man.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
During colonization, the colonized never ceases to liberate himself between the hours of nine in the evening and six in the morning.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
Hollywood stars began colonizing the area in the mid-1920s, when May Rindge reluctantly leased land that became the famed Malibu Movie Colony.
—Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024
Bacteria colonizing the upper back around the neck and shoulders are more similar to those in the nose; those normally present on the lower back are more similar to those in the gut and stool.
—Chloe Bryson-Cahn, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2024
Never colonized Santa Lucia stands side by side with Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on what were the first 40 acres ceded to the Pascua Yaquis by the federal government.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 30 Mar. 2024
Adam B. Vary, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024
During the Cretaceous period, which started around 145 million years ago, an explosion of new flowering plant species spread across the Earth’s surface, colonizing many different habitats.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024
Some Okinawans feel that Japan and the U.S. have colonized and sacrificed them.
—Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
At the same time, populations that had been colonized and enslaved were held up as posture paradigms for the élite to emulate: the American Posture League rewarded successful students with congratulatory pins that featured an image of an extremely upright Lenape man.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
During colonization, the colonized never ceases to liberate himself between the hours of nine in the evening and six in the morning.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
Hollywood stars began colonizing the area in the mid-1920s, when May Rindge reluctantly leased land that became the famed Malibu Movie Colony.
—Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Feb. 2024
Bacteria colonizing the upper back around the neck and shoulders are more similar to those in the nose; those normally present on the lower back are more similar to those in the gut and stool.
—Chloe Bryson-Cahn, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2024
Never colonized Santa Lucia stands side by side with Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on what were the first 40 acres ceded to the Pascua Yaquis by the federal government.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'colonize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near colonize
Cite this Entry
“Colonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colonize. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
colonize
verb
col·o·nize
ˈkäl-ə-ˌnīz
colonized; colonizing
1
: to establish a colony in or on
England colonized Australia
2
: to establish in a colony
the rights of colonized people
3
: to settle in a colony
colonization
noun
ˌkäl-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən
colonizer
noun
ˈkäl-ə-ˌnī-zər
Medical Definition
colonize
verb
col·o·nize
ˈkäl-ə-ˌnīz
colonized; colonizing; colonizes
of a microorganism
: to multiply in or on a host or an inanimate object or surface
At least half of all Americans over age 30 have gingivitis, a mild inflammation caused by bacterial plaque. Untreated, it may turn into periodontitis, in which bacteria colonize pockets that form between the gums and teeth.—Julia Karow, Scientific American
Julia Karow, Scientific AmericanThe microbe in question is Candida albicans, a yeast that often harmlessly colonizes patients …—Joan Stephenson, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Joan Stephenson, The Journal of the American Medical AssociationThese preparations presumably contain "probiotics," usually meaning strains of Lactobacillus to colonize your intestine and promote bacterial growth.—UC Berkeley Wellness Letter
UC Berkeley Wellness LetterMicroorganisms, particularly normal skin flora, colonize and form biofilms quickly on catheter surfaces …—Daryl S. Paulson, AORN Journal
Daryl S. Paulson, AORN Journal
colonization
noun
asymptomatic wound colonization by staphylococcus
… they significantly reduced the rate of bacterial colonization of the devices from 30% to 9% and cut the rate of infection in patients from 4% to 0.
—Carol Potera, Science
Carol Potera, Science
colonizer
noun
Identification of the typical flora in the postoperative ethmoid sinus cavity, as well as a determination of the type of bacteria expected to be colonizers rather than pathogens, would also assist the physician in selecting an appropriate antibiotic.
—Neil Bhattacharyya and Harsha V. Gopal, Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
Neil Bhattacharyya and Harsha V. Gopal, Ear, Nose and Throat Journal
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