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
Dallas created the Freedman’s Cemetery Memorial after the cemetery was rediscovered and dedicated it on Juneteenth 1999 to honor and remember the enslaved, formerly enslaved and their descendants who helped build Dallas.
—Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
The slavery exhibits were a collaborative effort and detail the lives of nine people enslaved at the home while Washington lived there as president.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Born enslaved, my grandmother taught my father how to fight.
—Gaby Iori
january 27, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Slavery to seminary Tolton was born on April 1, 1854 in Missouri, where he and his family were enslaved.
—Annie Selak, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enslave
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Dallas Morning News, 31 Jan. 2026
The slavery exhibits were a collaborative effort and detail the lives of nine people enslaved at the home while Washington lived there as president.
—Eva Andersen, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Born enslaved, my grandmother taught my father how to fight.
—Gaby Iori
january 27, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Slavery to seminary Tolton was born on April 1, 1854 in Missouri, where he and his family were enslaved.
—Annie Selak, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026
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 Feb. 2026.
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