ENSLAVING Synonyms: 53 Similar and Opposite Words

enslaving

verb

present participle of enslave

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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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 enslaving This is true and important, but it's presented in a way that overshadows Washington's lifetime of enslaving. — John Garrison Marks, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026 Soon, Catholic missions and Spanish rancheros sprouted, first attracting local Native peoples and later, enslaving them. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026 Soon, a local businessman (Éric Elmosnino’s Don Emmanuel) is running roughshod over the community, basically enslaving the indigenous population to build a casino. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026 Enslavement or freedom was passed down to the child through the mother, meaning white men could augment a workforce trafficked from Africa by raping with impunity and enslaving their offspring. — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026 The existential risk of AI wiping out humans or enslaving us could be predicated on our laziness and lack of concern about small signs. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 The story is built around Kitana’s childhood trauma of losing her father to the evil Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), who has taken over her home realm of Edenia, enslaving her mother as his zombie consort, Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen). — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 8 May 2026 Some Connecticut towns have brought history out in the open by researching and sharing information about its history with regard to enslaving people. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026 Advertisement Du Bois, for example, published a pageant—a common form for sharing lessons from Washington’s life during his bicentennial—that placed Washington’s enslaving front and center. — John Garrison Marks, Time, 7 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enslaving

Verb

Rising adoption of rooftop and distributed solar systems in South Africa is reducing national grid demand, squeezing utilities’ revenues and prompting interest in diversification.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
The goal is of course, to get more long-term LA Metro riders, but also by reducing cars on the road, traffic flow improves and vehicle emissions drop, said LA Metro.

— Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of reducing

Verb

Beyond his fighting career, McGee is celebrated for his inspirational journey of overcoming drug addiction, having been sober for over two decades.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
But he’ll best be known for overcoming a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, suffered in 1974.

— David K. Li, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of overcoming

Verb

Every administration has its own policy agenda and preferences, but this goes beyond that, subjugating science to partisanship and holding research and infrastructure money hostage throughout much of the country.

— David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Likewise, meekness once meant not becoming weak, but subjugating power to reason – not letting anger take control.

— Timothy J. Pawl, The Conversation, 23 Feb. 2026

Definition of subjugating

Verb

The reason is that protesters fear that the Republic of Georgia will continue following an authoritarian path similar to Russia’s, crushing their hopes and dreams of being another Western-style democracy that is a member of NATO and the EU.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
Because what action fan doesn't appreciate a good catapult crushing?

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of crushing

Verb

Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
Iguanas usually go viral for other reasons Iguanas are usually quick-moving and run away from their would-be captors with their long tails whipping behind them.

— Julia Gomez, USA Today, 24 July 2026

Definition of whipping

Verb

There’s truly nothing like licking that paper lid, then shoveling that tiny tongue depressor into a child-sized serving of vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

— Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026

Definition of licking

Browse Nearby Words

enslaves

enslaving

ensnare

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“Enslaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslaving. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of enslaving

verb

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