thrall

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈthrȯl 

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 : bond servant

also : serf

b

: a person in moral or mental servitude

thrall adjective

thralldom noun

or thraldom

ˈthrȯl-dəm 

thrall

2 of 3

verb

thralled; thralling; thralls

transitive verb

archaic

: enthrall, enslave

thralldom

3 of 3

noun (2)

thrall·​dom

variants or thraldom

ˈthrȯldəm 

plural -s

: the condition of a thrall : slavery, bondage

from this world's thralldom to the joys of heaven

—Shakespeare

Synonyms of thrall

Noun (1)

• slave

Examples of thrall in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Much has changed since everything was burnt-orange/avocado-green and Americans were in thrall to Quaaludes, Big League Chew® and the Fonz, and soccer in the last quarter-century has enjoyed a surge of popularity. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026

Monroe focused on her production company for a few years before studio pressure brought her back into the thrall of Hollywood. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026

Nagi is a farming village, a locus of military activity, and a place still largely in thrall to patriarchal dynamics. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026

The girls follow his trail of tears to Divine (Erika Alexander), a charismatic preacher still in the carnal thrall of her time with their father. —Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

Middle English thraldom, from thral thrall + -dom

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing thrall

• in thrall

Rhymes for thrall

• ahl
• all
• aul
• bawl
• brawl
• call
• caul
• crawl
• dol
• doll
• drawl
• fall

Kids Definition

thrall

noun

ˈthrȯl

1

: an enslaved person

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