1
as in slave
a person who is considered the property of another person
an amendment to end the keeping of humans as chattel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in possession
chattels plural
transportable items that one owns
packed up all her chattels and moved to a new state
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chattel
Only a racist would dare to defend or dismiss slavery, which stripped Africans of human rights and enslaved them as chattel to pick cotton on Southern plantations.
—
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
In many jurisdictions, the appeal of collecting is further enhanced through tax advantage, with sales exempt from capital gains thanks to wine’s classification as a wasting chattel.
—Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
There is no question, the enslaved workers at the Nottoway Plantation during the antebellum era were human chattel.
—Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Time, 21 May 2025
Khartoum was founded as a slave market, in 1821, and Arabs continued to raid southern areas, including the Nuba Mountains, for human chattel long after the practice was outlawed, in 1924.
—Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for chattel
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Aug. 2025
In many jurisdictions, the appeal of collecting is further enhanced through tax advantage, with sales exempt from capital gains thanks to wine’s classification as a wasting chattel.
—Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
There is no question, the enslaved workers at the Nottoway Plantation during the antebellum era were human chattel.
—Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Time, 21 May 2025
Khartoum was founded as a slave market, in 1821, and Arabs continued to raid southern areas, including the Nuba Mountains, for human chattel long after the practice was outlawed, in 1924.
—Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for chattel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chattel
Noun
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The region was once dominated by slave plantations; during the two World Wars, Yemassee was best known for its train depot, which welcomed marine recruits on their way to basic training.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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The film, written by Barbosa alongside Werner Salles, is set in 1695 and sees a family of slaves organize a rebellion to flee in search of the utopian Quilombo dos Palmares following a call from the spiritual helm.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Maldives also maintains a complete ban on the import, sale, distribution, possession and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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The Rainbows have been effective in the red zone, scoring on 97% of their possessions inside the 20-yard line.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Those on nine-month contracts must devote 480 hours to instruction — which can include things like lab work, clinical work and internships in addition to lecture time — over the course of the contract.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
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Because, in waking life, the truth is that things haven’t been the same since the strain of raising two young kids started to wear on their parents.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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With Prior at the service line, the Pilots jumped out to a 9-0 lead behind two Prior aces, a kill and two stuff blocks from Delilah Wilson and Talia Butler’s two kills and a stuff block in set two.—
Tim Meehan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
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This was clown stuff in a city where, per a 2024 report, someone earning the average salary ($88,647) could afford only 5 percent of rentals on the market after factoring in upfront costs such as broker’s fees and security deposits.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chattel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chattel. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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