1
as in enslavement
the state of being an enslaved person
a child born into slavery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
endured the slavery of working in the coal mines every day of his adult life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 slavery
Thus, for the first time, Jefferson combined the argument for American liberty with an argument against African slavery.
—
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Slavery was so central a bedrock in the social, economic, and political framework of the country that more Americans died in the war to end slavery than in any other war in American history.
—Time, 12 May 2026
In Village People’s gay-empowerment lexicon this means joining a gay community, for true abolition from the slavery of societal/self-loathing cannot be achieved on one’s own.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026
There are passages in the Hebrew Bible that glorify or seem to condone mass killing, destruction of whole cities, male domination of women, even slavery.
—Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for slavery
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Slavery was so central a bedrock in the social, economic, and political framework of the country that more Americans died in the war to end slavery than in any other war in American history.
—Time, 12 May 2026
In Village People’s gay-empowerment lexicon this means joining a gay community, for true abolition from the slavery of societal/self-loathing cannot be achieved on one’s own.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026
There are passages in the Hebrew Bible that glorify or seem to condone mass killing, destruction of whole cities, male domination of women, even slavery.
—Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for slavery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slavery
Noun
-
Bertha runs a Pittsburgh boardinghouse with her husband, Seth, played by Cedric the Entertainer, in 1911 and is part of an ensemble of Black characters a generation removed from enslavement.—
Zak Cheney-Rice,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
-
This seems a time to remind ourselves that the country’s historic success, wealth, and power came at a very high price—the enslavement of millions of human beings for 12 generations over the course of 246 years to build a modern nation.—
Time,
Time,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
While the chain's restaurant margin decreased because of commodity and labor inflation, some of that decline was offset by higher sales, according to the earnings report.—
Natassia Paloma,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
That was certainly true on Monday, as Lamont signed a new 124-page labor bill into law.—
Andrew Brown,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Let’s go down memory lane and recall that the 13th Amendment is abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
Like the Lenten journey, the onset of Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian servitude, the onset of a 40-year march homeward to the land of promise.—
Michael Pfleger,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Bahamian authorities assisted with rescue efforts, but did not deploy anyone to the scene, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) told CBS News.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
That first strike came courtesy of Catherine Dubois, a versatile depth forward, who was moved onto Montreal’s top line beside Poulin and Laura Stacey in an effort to spread out the team’s offense.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
What the restaurant represents to its supporters (and those hesitant but curious) is a shift in public interest in, and acceptance of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism (BDSM).—
Victoria M. Walker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 May 2026
-
Wheatley was born in West Africa before being kidnapped and enslaved, and wrote timeless, staggering lyrics of elegy and Biblical allusion while enduring the bondage of slavery.—
Time,
Time,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Researcher Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic suggests connecting with others as only humans can do, and unlocking your curiosity, while your agent handles the drudgery.—
Nigel Melville,
The Conversation,
6 May 2026
-
In 2006, Lamont, fueled by his personal fortune and some savvy political advisers, visited local Democratic party committees and immersed himself in the drudgery of running a statewide campaign.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There was only one name on the list from Washington County, a young man who had been killed while in captivity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
In captivity, the big cats can live 15 to 20 years.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Until then, they’re left with the tedious toil of prepping garden plots.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
Westerners, Arabs and Indians dominate business and finance, while laborers from poor countries in Asia and Africa toil for long hours in scorching temperatures at oil facilities and construction sites — often with few protections.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slavery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slavery. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
