as in reducing
to take control of and assert authority over
—usually used as (be) enslaved
Her ancestors were enslaved during the war.
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Recent Examples of enslaving
DaCosta likens the actions of Jimmy and his acolytes to those of Major Henry West (Christopher Eccleston) and his soldiers, who turned to enslaving and raping women in the wake of society's collapse in the first movie.
—
Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
The two-minute finale offered a riveting display in a nation that prides itself as being founded and enriched by immigrants, alongside an ugly history of enslaving millions of them and limiting who can come in.
—Laurie Kellman, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
In this era, several justifications were offered for enslaving Africans.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
In 1741, his forces overran Tabarka, enslaving many residents and sending shockwaves throughout the western Mediterranean.
—Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
The two-minute finale offered a riveting display in a nation that prides itself as being founded and enriched by immigrants, alongside an ugly history of enslaving millions of them and limiting who can come in.
—Laurie Kellman, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
In this era, several justifications were offered for enslaving Africans.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
In 1741, his forces overran Tabarka, enslaving many residents and sending shockwaves throughout the western Mediterranean.
—Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enslaving
Verb
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The system responded within milliseconds, fast enough to support real-time reactions such as pulling away from harmful contact or reducing applied force during interaction.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
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Republicans argued the bill would accomplish little in the way of reducing rates and would demonize utility executives.—
Christine Condon,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For the Chinese Communist Party, which stakes its claim to legitimacy on defeating Japanese invaders during World War II, that would be an unforgivable outrage.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Big Game Seattle Seahawks' players celebrate with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 8, 2026.—
Josephine Rozzelle,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Usually these particles almost immediately disappear again by annihilating each other—but not this time.—
Clara Moskowitz,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
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As the Universe expands and cools, the cross-section drops, and eventually, dark matter stops annihilating away or interacting with anything else in any appreciable way.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Medical experts and public health leaders say overcoming hesitancy is key in preventing further spread in and around Charlotte, and preventing the rise of other infectious diseases.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
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Raised in a rural village four hours from the Algerian capital, Khelif sold scrap copper as a young girl to fund her training, overcoming significant economic and societal hurdles.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But these moves and a little patience could help set the conditions for a resolution over time—one that doesn’t involve Russia destroying and subjugating its neighbor.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For a fraction of the cost of private colleges — and often far less than out-of-state public universities — CSU offers students a genuine opportunity to build skills, and increase lifetime earnings without crushing debt.—
Andrea Mays,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
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Watts on Tuesday also highlighted a September 2025 incident in which a worker suffered a crushing injury inside a tunnel after being pinned between two 4,000-foot pipes.—
Jessica Hill,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Before Katherine LaNasa was whipping the ER into shape as Nurse Dana on The Pitt, the actress made a memorable impression on Seinfeld viewers.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
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Legacy of Monsters, complete with a monster tail whipping across half the room.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As finger-licking as the savory food is, the real headliner here is dessert.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Enslaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslaving. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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