1
: very willing or too willing to obey someone else
She left her first husband because he wanted a subservient [=submissive] wife.
She refused to take/accept/play a subservient role in their marriage.
—often + toShe refused to be subservient to her husband.
2
formal
: less important than something or someone else
—usually + to
He believes that rights of individuals should be subservient to the rights of society as a whole.
Cite this Entry
“Subservient.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/subservient. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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