enslaved; enslaving; enslaves
: to force into or as if into slavery : subjugate
The building holds bronze statues of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, who were born, and enslaved, on Maryland's Eastern Shore.—
Evan Osnos
Evan OsnosIt has long been known that Nordic warriors established outposts more than a millennium ago on Poland's Baltic coast, enslaving indigenous Slavic peoples to supply a booming slave trade, as well trading in salt, amber and other commodities.—Andrew Higgins
Andrew HigginsThis oddly contradictory view of artificial intelligence is somehow a perfect symbol of AI's place in our imaginations at this moment in history—something that will eliminate countless jobs, a boost for creativity, an end to drudgery, or perhaps a monstrous force that will take over our planet and enslave humanity.—Minda Zetlin
Minda Zetlin
enslavement
in-ˈslāv-mənt 
noun
en-
plural enslavements
… the continued enslavement of millions of human beings after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
—Juan Cole
Juan Cole
sexual/economic enslavement
Examples of enslave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
So, what did people who were enslaved do in response?
—Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
The Bureau operated hospitals and refugee camps, supplied food and clothing, helped establish schools, and legalized marriages for those who had been enslaved.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2025
The state House gave preliminary approval to creating a statewide reparations commission to study benefits for the Marylanders whose ancestors were enslaved.
—Natalie Jones, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2025
Finding Your Roots has also uncovered that Shonda Rhimes, Joe Manganiello, and Maya Rudolph are descended from people who were enslaved prior to the American Civil War.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enslave
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Ari Daniel, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
The Bureau operated hospitals and refugee camps, supplied food and clothing, helped establish schools, and legalized marriages for those who had been enslaved.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2025
The state House gave preliminary approval to creating a statewide reparations commission to study benefits for the Marylanders whose ancestors were enslaved.
—Natalie Jones, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2025
Finding Your Roots has also uncovered that Shonda Rhimes, Joe Manganiello, and Maya Rudolph are descended from people who were enslaved prior to the American Civil War.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enslave
Cite this Entry
“Enslave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enslave. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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