thrall

1 of 2

noun

plural thralls
1
a
: a state of servitude or submission
usually used with in
in thrall to his emotions
b
: a state of complete absorption
usually used with in
… mountains could hold me in thrall with a subtle attraction of their own …Elyne Mitchell
2
a
: an enslaved person who performs the duties of a servant : bondman
also : serf
b
: a person in moral or mental servitude
thrall adjective
thralldom noun
or thraldom

thrall

2 of 2

verb

thralled; thralling; thralls

Examples of thrall in a Sentence

Noun I'm not your thrall, so you'll have to pick up after yourself. a people who still bear the scars of having been in thrall for so many years
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The entrance polls taken as caucus-goers showed up reveal a party in full thrall to Trump. TIME, 16 Jan. 2024 One is full of bombast and centered on Elvis; the other is quiet and introspective, focused on a young woman in his thrall, but often left behind. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023 Despite Bamberger’s obvious thrall to Shyamalan’s charisma, the narrative nonetheless revealed notes of petulance and insecurity in his directorial approach—the flip side to his principled, prepossessing confidence. Adam Nayman, The New Yorker, 2 Feb. 2023 Haley is no avatar of the status quo ante but proof of how debased the party of Abraham Lincoln has become in its thrall to Trump. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2023 The letters show an artist in the thrall of French Surrealism, art-house cinema, and New Wave music. David O’Neill, The New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2023 And the issue offered a way to persuade a Republican electorate still very much in the thrall of Mr. Trump to consider throwing its lot in with a fresh face in 2024. Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2023 Now even the mighty entertainment industry is in their thrall. Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2023 For her, suspending judgment is a creative act, inviting the novel’s last and most important thrall, in which imagination fills the gaps left by knowledge. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thrall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English thral, from Old English thræl, from Old Norse thræll

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrall was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near thrall

Cite this Entry

“Thrall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrall. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thrall

noun
ˈthrȯl
1
2
a
: a state of servitude or submission
in thrall to his emotions
b
: a state of complete attention
the play held me in thrall
thralldom noun
or thraldom
ˈthrȯl-dəm

More from Merriam-Webster on thrall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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