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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Supporters of the idea say a combined utility would be able to cut costs by reducing the number of employees.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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The proposal also establishes more predictable timelines for preparing environmental impact statements, reducing delays and providing greater certainty for both developers and financing partners.—
Carlina Rivera,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Dirksen was elected to the Senate in 1950, defeating Scott Lucas, the incumbent Democrat and Senate majority leader.—
John T. Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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McBeth had a successful week for Saratoga, defeating her 11th-grade opponent from MacDonald High 13-1 on Tuesday.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Everything there fell apart and perished, as though the steppe were a field of deadly frequency, annihilating, on a molecular level, any object that happened into it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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Indiana’s defense is masterful, a plug-and-play roster that is annihilating opponents without its leading tackler.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Here’s her strategy for overcoming procrastination.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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For Nayyar, overcoming user hesitancy, particularly among older generations, has been an ongoing educational process.—
Esha Chhabra,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 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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So she’s taken over a crushing assignment.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
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Oklahoma reached the 2025 College Football Playoff after several uneven seasons, only to suffer a crushing home loss after leading Alabama 17-0 in the opening round.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier Monday that his caucus would have a discussion on the contempt resolutions later in the week but remained noncommittal on whipping votes against them.—
Stephen Groves,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
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The safer one involved whipping once around the moon’s far side and then relying on lunar gravity to slingshot the spacecraft back to Earth.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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England’s Test team are still licking their wounds after their humbling Down Under.—
Sam Dalling,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enslaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslaving. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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