1
a
: the use of laborers bound in servitude because of debt
b
: a system of convict labor by which convicts are leased to contractors
2
: the condition of a peon
Examples of peonage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Convict leasing, also called peonage, juxtaposed the infrastructure of the Old English debtor’s prison with the barbarism of chattel slavery to bolster American capitalism.
—
Phillip Vance Smith, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2024
The Wilberforce Act covers physical abuse and peonage, which is forced labor.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2024
Its darkest depths -- the rise of racial terrorism, convict leasing, debt peonage and more -- are only now being reassessed by millions of Americans whose racial awakening came through the crucible of Floyd's murder and the demonstrations that followed.
—Peniel E. Joseph, CNN, 6 Oct. 2021
Many drivers stick around for the full year to avoid those fees, enduring what amounts to debt peonage.
—Andrew Kay, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for peonage 
Phillip Vance Smith, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2024
The Wilberforce Act covers physical abuse and peonage, which is forced labor.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2024
Its darkest depths -- the rise of racial terrorism, convict leasing, debt peonage and more -- are only now being reassessed by millions of Americans whose racial awakening came through the crucible of Floyd's murder and the demonstrations that followed.
—Peniel E. Joseph, CNN, 6 Oct. 2021
Many drivers stick around for the full year to avoid those fees, enduring what amounts to debt peonage.
—Andrew Kay, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for peonage
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peonage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Peonage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peonage. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
peonage
noun
pe·on·age
ˈpē-ə-nij 
: labor in a condition of servitude to extinguish a debt
the holding of any person to service or labor under the system known as peonage is abolished and forever prohibited—U.S. Code
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