NATIVE Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

native 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnā-tiv

Definition of native next

as in indigenous

belonging to a particular place by birth or origin though she now lived in the Northeast, she was a native Midwesterner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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

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native

2 of 2

noun

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

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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

The native New Orleanian tries to calculate what the restaurant might pull in each day, then whose dinner shift to cut, trying his best to be even-handed so everyone can make a living. —

Dakin Andone, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025 Among Dominik Szoboszlai’s collection of tattoos, there is a quote from Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, written in the 24-year-old’s native Hungarian, on his left arm. —

James Pearce, The Athletic, 7 Feb. 2025

Noun

Despite ongoing commentary about their compatibility, JT has remained confident in her love for the Philly native. —

Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 6 Feb. 2025 Gates, a Michigan native, found his gold — and navy blue — out west. —

Patrick Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for native

Recent Examples of Synonyms for native

Adjective

That informative announcement asks the audience to acknowledge the indigenous people on whose ancestral lands the theater now stands.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2025
During the peak years of the gold rush, the population of indigenous people in California dropped from some 150,000 to roughly 31,000, according to the International Indian Treaty Council.

— Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025