bondage

noun

bond·age | \ ˈbän-dij

Definition of bondage

1 : the tenure or service of a villein, serf, or slave

2 : a state of being bound usually by compulsion (as of law or mastery): such as

a : captivity, serfdom

b : servitude or subjugation to a controlling person or force young people in bondage to drugs

3 : sadomasochistic sexual practices involving the physical restraint of one partner

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about bondage

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Examples of bondage in a Sentence

a population held in bondage the Civil War ended over 200 years of bondage for black Africans in America

Recent Examples on the Web

The VMAs red carpet boasts historic moments like Madonna’s white corset and tutu in 1984, Cindy Crawford’s bondage-style Versace look in 1992, and Lady Gaga’s meat dress in 2010. — Avery Matera, Teen Vogue, "VMAs 2018: Best-Dressed Stars on the Red Carpet," 20 Aug. 2018 Spanking, bondage, choking, being ordered around—all of it turned me on. — Rachel Kramer Bussel, SELF, "I Suddenly Stopped Being Kinky and I’m Not Sure Why," 1 Mar. 2019 Those who practice bondage, dominance, sadism and masochism (B.D.S.M.) have rules for protecting boundaries, safety and consent. — New York Times, "The Boundary Between Abuse and B.D.S.M.," 23 May 2018 The story brought new attention to the world of kink that’s often known as BDSM — standing for variations of bondage, dominance, submission and masochism. — Washington Post, "‘Kink community’ angry at New York attorney general comments," 10 May 2018 Take it from someone who’s first bondage experience was exactly that. — Gigi Engle, SELF, "5 Ways to Ease Your Partner Into Trying Bondage and Kink," 28 Sep. 2018 Sometimes, the drag star posts are out of a horror movie: Think, a cheerful Ronald McDonald clown now with saber teeth, his yellow costume shredded into a half-shirt for a bondage flair. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Charity Kase Is the London Drag Star Whipping Up Fantastical Looks," 5 Sep. 2018 Fear and discomfort around bondage and kink typically come out of misunderstanding what BDSM is—and is not. — Gigi Engle, SELF, "5 Ways to Ease Your Partner Into Trying Bondage and Kink," 28 Sep. 2018 Sora also included voyeur footage, bondage videos, and rape scenes. — Shawn Musgrave, The Verge, "How ICE used an obscure rule to pursue the owners of a Korean porn site," 27 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bondage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.