pi·o·neer
ˌpī-ə-ˈnir 
1
: a member of a military unit usually of construction engineers
2
a
: a person or group that originates or helps open up a new line of thought or activity or a new method or technical development
b
: one of the first to settle in a territory
3
: a plant or animal capable of establishing itself in a bare, barren, or open area and initiating an ecological cycle
pioneered; pioneering; pioneers
: to act as a pioneer
pioneered in the development of airplanes
1
: to open or prepare for others to follow
also
: settle
2
: to originate or take part in the development of
Synonyms
Examples of pioneer in a Sentence
Noun
the pioneers who settled in the American West in the 19th century
the hardships that the pioneers endured while taming the wilderness
Verb
a painter who pioneered a new art form
The new method of cancer treatment was pioneered by an international team of researchers.
He helped pioneer a new route to the West.
He pioneered in the development of airplanes.
Adjective
the nation's pioneer institution for the education of African-Americans
Recent Examples on the Web
Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 28 Apr. 2024
Samsung, a pioneer in foldable smartphones, doesn’t currently offer either a foldable or dual-screen laptop.
—Mike Feibus, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
But wellness enthusiasts shouldn’t forget that Canyon Ranch, a pioneer in the all-inclusive wellness travel space, founded its brand with a property here.
—Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2024
Then she was fired over her uniform From the archives: 100 years ago, a reunion of Arizona 'pioneers' in Phoenix Arizona teen files claim against courts for 'reunification camp' trauma
What did Paul Babbitt Jr. do for Flagstaff?
—Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024
In the relatively novel lane of influencer representation, Campbell’s is a pioneer.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024
Immigrant pioneer Harris Newmark wrote that this nearly broke up the Baer family, because Mrs. Baer was a devoted secessionist.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Many legal firms serve clients interested in the EB-5 visa program, but Reid & Wise has become a pioneer in the space.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Since exploding onto the scene in 2019, the 25-year-old singer/rapper has been a dominant force in the Latin American music scene and is widely considered one of the pioneers of Argentina’s burgeoning trap movement.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024
Wired Staff, WIRED, 25 Apr. 2024
Public radio podcasts, with their distinct blend of reporting and narrative, quickly won over millions of listeners and pioneered a new format.
—Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Working in a tradition pioneered earlier in the 20th century by the German photographer August Sander, Dijkstra approaches her subjects with deliberate neutrality.
—Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
These were the bitter fruits of détente—a set of policies pioneered by President Richard Nixon and his top foreign policy adviser, Henry Kissinger, who stayed on and continued the approach under President Gerald Ford.
—Matt Pottinger, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2024
In another parallel to the present, the Egyptians invented not only the basis of governance but also its pitfalls, pioneering the concepts of tax fraud, evasion and corruption.
—Kate McMahon, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Expanding pharmacist prescribing authority is also being pioneered closer to home.
—Jeffrey Singer, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Many have said the three-part project is Beyoncé’s attempt to reclaim genres of music created or pioneered by Black people.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024
At the World Bank, Ajay set forth a new vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet and moved boldly to make good on it—from pioneering innovative financial tools to reimagining partnerships across the multilateral development banks and with the private sector.
—TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
Noun
It’s served as a home to pioneers, military veterans, immigrants and other individuals whose roots lie deep in California’s past.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 28 Apr. 2024
Samsung, a pioneer in foldable smartphones, doesn’t currently offer either a foldable or dual-screen laptop.
—Mike Feibus, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024
But wellness enthusiasts shouldn’t forget that Canyon Ranch, a pioneer in the all-inclusive wellness travel space, founded its brand with a property here.
—Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2024
Then she was fired over her uniform From the archives: 100 years ago, a reunion of Arizona 'pioneers' in Phoenix Arizona teen files claim against courts for 'reunification camp' trauma
What did Paul Babbitt Jr. do for Flagstaff?
—Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024
In the relatively novel lane of influencer representation, Campbell’s is a pioneer.
—Ebony Flake, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024
Immigrant pioneer Harris Newmark wrote that this nearly broke up the Baer family, because Mrs. Baer was a devoted secessionist.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Many legal firms serve clients interested in the EB-5 visa program, but Reid & Wise has become a pioneer in the space.
—Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
Since exploding onto the scene in 2019, the 25-year-old singer/rapper has been a dominant force in the Latin American music scene and is widely considered one of the pioneers of Argentina’s burgeoning trap movement.
—Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024
Verb
The Philippines has really pioneered this sort of strategy.
—Wired Staff, WIRED, 25 Apr. 2024
Public radio podcasts, with their distinct blend of reporting and narrative, quickly won over millions of listeners and pioneered a new format.
—Jeremy W. Peters, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Working in a tradition pioneered earlier in the 20th century by the German photographer August Sander, Dijkstra approaches her subjects with deliberate neutrality.
—Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
These were the bitter fruits of détente—a set of policies pioneered by President Richard Nixon and his top foreign policy adviser, Henry Kissinger, who stayed on and continued the approach under President Gerald Ford.
—Matt Pottinger, Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2024
In another parallel to the present, the Egyptians invented not only the basis of governance but also its pitfalls, pioneering the concepts of tax fraud, evasion and corruption.
—Kate McMahon, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Expanding pharmacist prescribing authority is also being pioneered closer to home.
—Jeffrey Singer, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
Many have said the three-part project is Beyoncé’s attempt to reclaim genres of music created or pioneered by Black people.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024
At the World Bank, Ajay set forth a new vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet and moved boldly to make good on it—from pioneering innovative financial tools to reimagining partnerships across the multilateral development banks and with the private sector.
—TIME, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pioneer.' 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 pioneer
Cite this Entry
“Pioneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pioneer. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pioneer
1 of 2 noun
pi·o·neer
ˌpī-ə-ˈni(ə)r
1
: a person or group that explores new areas of thought or activity
pioneers of American medicine
2
: one of the first to settle in an area : colonist
pioneer
adjective
pioneer
2 of 2 verb1
: to act as a pioneer
2
: to open or prepare for others to follow
especially
: settle entry 2 sense 2a
3
: to begin or take part in the development of something new
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