as in to annihilate
to take control of and assert authority over
—usually used as (be) enslaved
Her ancestors were enslaved during the war.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enslave
Black people, kidnapped and enslaved, had none, and as freedom was gained, new laws were written to hold them in place.
—
Robert Lloyd, Houston Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
In 18th-century Trinidad, enslaved Africans who were not allowed to participate in the pre-Lenten traditions of masquerade balls by European colonizers created their own celebrations of defiance.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Feb. 2026
Black people, kidnapped and enslaved, had none, and as freedom was gained, new laws were written to hold them in place.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
According to family lore, Henry had somehow circumvented the state’s strict law against educating the enslaved and become literate.
—Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enslave
Robert Lloyd, Houston Chronicle, 4 Feb. 2026
In 18th-century Trinidad, enslaved Africans who were not allowed to participate in the pre-Lenten traditions of masquerade balls by European colonizers created their own celebrations of defiance.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 3 Feb. 2026
Black people, kidnapped and enslaved, had none, and as freedom was gained, new laws were written to hold them in place.
—Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
According to family lore, Henry had somehow circumvented the state’s strict law against educating the enslaved and become literate.
—Eugene Robinson, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for enslave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enslave
Verb
-
Its project is annihilating transformation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Usually these particles almost immediately disappear again by annihilating each other—but not this time.—
Clara Moskowitz,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Upon his arrival, Thaksin was sentenced to eight years in prison on earlier corruption convictions, a term swiftly reduced to one year following a royal pardon.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Cutting convoy risk Army planners see cargo drones as a way to reduce dependence on traditional resupply convoys.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tian Feng, former dean of SenseTime’s Intelligence Industry Research Institute, revealed that the free provision of T800 robots will help smaller companies overcome research and development barriers.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The first obstacle to overcome is to develop a computer chip that works in the extreme conditions of space, which includes exposure to much higher levels of radiation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Magic rallied from 17 points down to win 120-117, but the Jazz defeated the Heat 115-111.—
Mark Anderson,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The Cyclones, who are 13-0 at Hilton Coliseum this season, have defeated the Jayhawks three straight years in the building.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It’s subjugated to a larger sense of what’s called the universal destination of all goods.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
-
There’s her creative director, Celeste (filmmaker/actress Hailey Benton Gates), Charli’s friend and the only one with a foot in reality, but with no other purpose in life but to subjugate herself to her employer.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mitch West, meanwhile, was licking his wounds on Monday night, when snow still hadn’t touched down in his region of South Carolina.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
-
England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Those skipping romance this season can name an ex after a pile of animal feces, shred old photos for dining deals or smash their way through staged date nights in rage rooms.—
Julian Torres,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
-
No matter what, Bella Hadid will always smash a theme.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It’s inspired by a French silk pie, but without any eggs to whip.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2026
-
For season 1 of The Boss, InStyle Editor in Chief Sally Holmes taps Julia Fox (Uncut Gems, Him, The Moment) as the Temporary-Permanent Ambassador of Slayage in an effort to whip the InStyle team’s style into shape ahead of New York Fashion Week.—
InStyle Editors,
InStyle,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enslave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslave. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
