as in slaveholder
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 enslaver
While all colonial enslavers were anxious about the possibility of poisoning plots in general, other, more local, even personal, concerns existed, such as an enslaver’s fear that one of his captives might try to hasten his death by putting something toxic in his food.
—
Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
In 1787, at the Constitutional Convention, lawmakers seeking to preserve Southern political power adopted the Three-Fifths Compromise, allowing enslavers to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for purposes of taxation and representation.
—Jeffrey Bennett, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
If the employee turned out to be a fugitive from slavery, the employer was fined 50 cents for each day of employment — paid to the enslaver.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
From the ages of 12 to about 22, Harriet Jacobs lived under the watch of her enslaver, a wealthy physician named James Norcom Sr.
—Mollie Barnes, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Trained by his enslaver in bricklaying and carpentry, Moses became foreman of a building crew, erecting barns, homes, and warehouses across the South.
—Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And in my hometown of Philadelphia, over a dozen displays about slavery at Independence National Park — including an exhibit describing George Washington as an enslaver — have been flagged for review.
—Jonathan Zimmerman, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2025
Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
In 1787, at the Constitutional Convention, lawmakers seeking to preserve Southern political power adopted the Three-Fifths Compromise, allowing enslavers to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for purposes of taxation and representation.
—Jeffrey Bennett, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
If the employee turned out to be a fugitive from slavery, the employer was fined 50 cents for each day of employment — paid to the enslaver.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
From the ages of 12 to about 22, Harriet Jacobs lived under the watch of her enslaver, a wealthy physician named James Norcom Sr.
—Mollie Barnes, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
Trained by his enslaver in bricklaying and carpentry, Moses became foreman of a building crew, erecting barns, homes, and warehouses across the South.
—Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And in my hometown of Philadelphia, over a dozen displays about slavery at Independence National Park — including an exhibit describing George Washington as an enslaver — have been flagged for review.
—Jonathan Zimmerman, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enslaver
Noun
-
Washington was a slaveholder and had fought a revolution to overthrow British tyranny.—
John Garrison Marks,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The talking heads, always a key ingredient to the Ken Burns Experience, go to great lengths to describe not only the greatness of men like George Washington in particular, but also the darker side of their lives, like Washington’s position as a slaveholder and land speculator.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
12 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In many different regions, groups seeking sanctuary from raids by slavers created new settlements during the 17th and 18th centuries.—
Laurent Dubois,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The faceless head of a man bobbing in the water recalls the countless Africans who perished during the perilous journey due to disease, malnourishment, and abuse, whose bodies were thrown overboard by unscrupulous ship captains and slavers to schools of sharks.—
James Meyer,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The law was not intended to be enforced against whites but had the clear intent to restrict the civil rights of freedmen.—
Morgan Marietta,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Or that namesake Robert Brent was pro-slavery and helped enact the Black Codes — laws banning Black people from being on the street after 10 p.m. in the city and requiring freedmen to carry their papers at all times.—
Jonathan Edwards,
Washington Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enslaver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslaver. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
