Westerner

noun

West·​ern·​er ˈwe-stər-nər How to pronounce Westerner (audio)
-stə-
1
: a native or inhabitant of the West
especially : a native or resident of the western part of the U.S.
2
: one advocating the adoption of western European culture especially in 19th century Russia

Examples of Westerner in a Sentence

Westerners tend to be unfamiliar with Asian customs.
Recent Examples on the Web The protagonist, English sailor John Blackthorne, is based on William Adams, the rare Westerner to successfully enmesh himself within the cloistered society. Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Feb. 2024 The story takes us inside Japanese power circles (circa the 1600s) from the point of view of a Westerner named John Blackthorne. Nina Metz, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2024 Today, only a few Westerners are still attending President Vladimir Putin’s showcase events, such as the Valdai conference in Sochi, which, before the war, was Russia’s most prestigious international gathering. Liana Fix, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2023 Unlike other Westerners, the Crooks chose to live on campus, alongside their students and fellow faculty members. Clay Risen, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2023 Beer’s work tracks a Westerner’s aesthetic journey into an ancient spiritual culture that Sherpa works joyfully to recontextualize in the present day. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 24 May 2023 They were all billed as Kimura’s designs, but Neil was given his own spread in Kindai Bonsai magazine—a rare honor for a Westerner. Robert Moor, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2022 His mother was an Easterner, his father a Westerner. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 20 July 2022 And yet the war had been going on for over three weeks, at an intensity comparable to World War II, and not one Westerner had been confirmed among those killed in action. Seth Harp, Harper's Magazine, 14 June 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Westerner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Westerner was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near Westerner

Cite this Entry

“Westerner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Westerner. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Westerner

noun
West·​ern·​er ˈwes-tə(r)-nər How to pronounce Westerner (audio)
: a person born or living in the West (as of the U.S.)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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