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
In a very rare and likely precedent-setting agreement, the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston has agreed to return two works from 1857 by the Black potter David Drake, who made his ambitious jars while enslaved, to his present-day descendants.
—Jori Finkel, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The Greeks raze the city, slaughter many of its inhabitants, and enslave those who survive.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Since its inception, the film industry in America has reduced the sacred Black spiritual traditions of the enslaved to fodder for horror stories, portraying our magic as inherently chaotic, dangerous, and even evil.
—Essence, 29 Oct. 2025
In this era, several justifications were offered for enslaving Africans.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enslave
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Jori Finkel, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
The Greeks raze the city, slaughter many of its inhabitants, and enslave those who survive.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Since its inception, the film industry in America has reduced the sacred Black spiritual traditions of the enslaved to fodder for horror stories, portraying our magic as inherently chaotic, dangerous, and even evil.
—Essence, 29 Oct. 2025
In this era, several justifications were offered for enslaving Africans.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 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 2 Nov. 2025.
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