colonize
Populate new territory
Colonize means to establish a colony—a settlement of people from one country in foreign territory.
European powers colonized much of Africa and the Americas, displacing indigenous populations.
The word extends to any takeover of space: Weeds colonized the abandoned lot.
Bacteria colonize surfaces.
In contemporary discourse, colonize often carries critical weight, implying exploitation or cultural imposition: Tech companies colonizing public spaces with advertising.
Bring under dominion
- invadeEnter by force
- occupyFill or dwell in
- annexSupplementary building or seizure
- seizeTake suddenly, forcibly
capture · overthrow · conquer · overpower · vanquish · defeat · subdue · suppress
Encroaching without welcome
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- proliferateReproduce or spread swiftly
spread · organism · bacteria · microbe · pathogen · host · populate · reproduce
Family farm and dwelling
- pioneerEarly explorer or settler
- settlerOne who colonizes territory
- outpostRemote military station
- farmingCultivating land for food
village · township · plantation · establishment · migration · relocation · families · community
Domain under unified control
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- hegemonyDominant group's control
- protectorateGuarded semi-autonomous territory
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
viceroy · mandate · imperialist · extraction · Eurocentrism · assimilation · dependency · metropole
Forcing into submission
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- dispossessionDeprival of property rights
- displacementRemoval from usual location
- genocideSystematic annihilation of a people
erasure · resistance · reparations · apartheid · segregation · indigenous · native · stolen
subjugate
Bring under dominion
seize · capture · overthrow · conquer · overpower · vanquish · defeat · subdue · suppress · overrun
invasive
Encroaching without welcome
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
proliferate · spread · organism · bacteria · microbe · pathogen · host · populate · reproduce · niche
homestead
Family farm and dwelling
farming · village · township · plantation · establishment · migration · relocation · families · community · encampment
empire
Domain under unified control
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- hegemonyDominant group's control
- protectorateGuarded semi-autonomous territory
sovereignty · viceroy · mandate · imperialist · extraction · Eurocentrism · assimilation · dependency · metropole · occupation
subjugation
Forcing into submission
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- dispossessionDeprival of property rights
- displacementRemoval from usual location
genocide · erasure · resistance · reparations · apartheid · segregation · indigenous · native · stolen · forced labor
- oppressoppress, persecute, tyrannize, subjugate, dominate
- housingapartments, home, house, houses, homes
- fungimushroom, mushrooms, toadstool, toadstools, yeast
- warfarebattle, combat, attack, war, armed conflict
- settle meaningsagree, compromise, reconcile, negotiate, decide
- exploitationexploit, predatory, sex trafficking, take advantage, human trafficking
colonizedecolonize
End foreign rule
decolonise · liberate · emancipate · free · relinquish
colonizeabandon
Leave behind permanently
desert · depopulate · evacuate · emigrate · vacate
- French coloniesLands under Parisian rule
- English coloniesCrown territories in America
- ant coloniesOrganized insect communities underground
- English colonistsBritish immigrants to America
- colonial war
- colonial powersNations that colonized others
colonial, colonist, colonies, colonization, colonialism, colonists, colonizer, colonized, colonizing