as in reducing
to take control of and assert authority over
—usually used as (be) enslaved
Her ancestors were enslaved during the war.
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 enslaving
Historical accounts describe Sutter, a Swiss immigrant and early California settler, as enslaving Indigenous people and forcing tribes to work in inhumane and sometimes deadly conditions.
—
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 1 Mar. 2026
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
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 1 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enslaving
Verb
-
Once stationary, turn off all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Mar. 2026
-
That deal, which required Iran to limit its nuclear program by, among other things, cutting enrichment levels and reducing centrifuges, took effect in 2016 and was due to expire 10 years after it was adopted.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Texas State men's basketball finished the regular season with a bang, defeating App State 60-57 to squeeze its way into a six-way tie for second place in the Sun Belt.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Mater Dei celebrated its return to the top of CIF Southern Section boys soccer by defeating rival Orange Lutheran 2-0 in the Open Division final at El Modena High on Saturday.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So, if the president succeeds in 'annihilating,' in his words, the Iranian navy, then long-term prospects of closure should decline, and that should increase the likelihood that ships will start sailing again.—
DAVID McHUGH,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Its project is annihilating transformation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The rehabilitation itself will be expensive, and its success will depend on wooing private investors and overcoming a half-decade of adverse publicity.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
His Ducks rallied to beat two-time defending conference champion Edmonton in their return from the Olympic break, overcoming a pair of two-goal deficits and another one-goal deficit during their frenetic four-goal third period.—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
However, once Hernán Cortés triumphed, the conquistadors went from waging war — vanquishing the Aztecs — to the project of subjugating Indigenous holdouts and building a self-sustaining territory loyal to the crown.—
Foreign Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the material appears to shift from soft to hard, the outward and downward movements of the tubes no longer suggest the gentle pressure of filling and escaping air, but imply a decidedly more violent bending and crushing of metal, as if the tubes had been pushed out of shape against their will.—
Gordon Hughes,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
-
But in 2015, a company started repurposing the slag by breaking the rock apart and crushing it down to make sandy material for industrial uses.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Taylor also weighed in on keeping her cool on stage when things go wrong, such as embracing her wig flying off and whipping it around her head, the proper form for double-dutching and having patience in Hollywood.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Though both storms are similar — with a major storm system lingering over the region for over a day and whipping the region with merciless hurricane-level winds, driving inch after inch of wet snow — what made the 1978 storm so devastating was the apparent suddenness of its arrival.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On April 30, 2025, the dog was reportedly licking its tail and lethargic.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Son disappeared from public view, licking his wounds while also plotting his comeback.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Enslaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslaving. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
