as in slavery
the state of being an enslaved person
having known the misery of enslavement first hand, Frederick Douglass went on devote his life to the cause of making others free
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Recent Examples of enslavement
For Vásquez, the end of the Civil War marked a bright line between Rosario’s enslavement and freedom.
—
Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
Black history in America is, of course, more than the story of enslavement and what was done to Black people on this continent across hundreds of years.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Her mother is believed to be Matilda Foster, who was born into enslavement.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
The network promotes the history of resistance to enslavement through historic sites having verifiable connections to the Underground Railroad.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
They were deliberately constructed to justify enslavement, land theft and unequal treatment under the law.
—Rosalind Osgood, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
In the work, traditional folklore and marvelous, uncanny incidents are often the sites of resistance against colonialism or enslavement.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Now, she is being recast as a brilliant linguist who survived conquest, enslavement and patriarchy.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
By the early 20th century, after several centuries of rape, disease, enslavement, and land confiscation by colonizers, rubber barons, and loggers, their numbers had been reduced to 300.
—Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
Black history in America is, of course, more than the story of enslavement and what was done to Black people on this continent across hundreds of years.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Her mother is believed to be Matilda Foster, who was born into enslavement.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
The network promotes the history of resistance to enslavement through historic sites having verifiable connections to the Underground Railroad.
—Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
They were deliberately constructed to justify enslavement, land theft and unequal treatment under the law.
—Rosalind Osgood, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
In the work, traditional folklore and marvelous, uncanny incidents are often the sites of resistance against colonialism or enslavement.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Now, she is being recast as a brilliant linguist who survived conquest, enslavement and patriarchy.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
By the early 20th century, after several centuries of rape, disease, enslavement, and land confiscation by colonizers, rubber barons, and loggers, their numbers had been reduced to 300.
—Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enslavement
slavery
Noun
-
His parents were only a generation removed from slavery.—
Christopher DeRose,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The exhibit on the history of slavery at the President’s House in Philadelphia was restored this week.—
Carol Quillen,
Time,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enslavement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslavement. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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