pioneers

NOUN

person who finds a new place, founds something

Synonyms

STRONG

colonist colonizer developer explorer founder guide homesteader immigrant innovator leader pathfinder pilgrim scout settler squatter trailblazer

WEAK

frontier settler

VERB

invent; lay the groundwork

Synonyms

STRONG

begin colonize create develop discover establish explore found initiate instigate institute launch originate prepare spearhead start

WEAK

go out in front map out open up show the way take the lead trailblaze

Antonyms

STRONG

cease complete conclude destroy die end finish halt ignore neglect prevent ruin stop terminate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"There was no water, no electricity, no real housing; we were pioneers," he told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026

It's regarded as a hotbed of innovation and resides in the shadow of some of the most influential Big Tech companies on the planet, including many pioneers in the AI field.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

Whether by focusing on such hybrid players or by building a portfolio balancing pioneers and scalers, savvy tech investors always account for multiple likely scenarios.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

After reading “Microbe Hunters,” Paul de Kruif’s popular 1926 account of pioneers in microbiology, Sabin found his calling.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 21, 2026

For more than two hundred years, racial slavery was as much a part of our nation’s story as Pilgrims, presidents, pioneers, wagons rolling west, and waves of immigrants streaming to America’s shores.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis