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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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 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

Handles up improves safety and hygiene during unloading, avoiding contact with eating surfaces and reducing injury risk.

— Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
Gormley says lifestyle changes can also help, like reducing screen time and taking more breaks from screens throughout the day.

— Maria Godoy, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of reducing

Verb

Northern California received a boost with Folsom defeating Mission Viejo 35-21.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Botic van de Zandschulp, who knocked Carlos Alcaraz out of this event two years ago, is into the fourth round after defeating Zizou Bergs 3-6, 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of defeating

Verb

Dark stars are hypothetical primordial stars that, rather than producing energy through nuclear fusion, are instead powered by self-annihilating dark matter within their cores.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
The accusation works its way through society, annihilating reputations, deservedly or not.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of annihilating

Verb

This design continually reflects the laser inside the stream via total internal reflection, overcoming the need for focal-point or Rayleigh-length adjustments.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Augusto, Marrero, Hernández and countless others have little choice but to figure things out which, in Cuban parlance, means overcoming whatever obstacle is placed in their way.

— Juan Carlos López, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 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 process begins by crushing and grinding magnets before digestion and separation of base metals, including iron, manganese, aluminum, nickel, copper, and boron.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Rewriting the Instruction Hierarchy Right now, the system's internal developer guardrails sit at the absolute top of the logic pyramid, completely crushing user inputs.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of crushing

Verb

Goalkeeper Emi Martinez floated a ball over Ezri Konsa to Rogers, who exchanged passes with Joao Pedro before shifting sharply onto his right foot and whipping a shot just wide of David Raya’s far post.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Into the work, esparza’s has also added a scene from the Florentine Codex showing a Spaniard whipping an Indigenous person and images of ICE raids in LA and Chicago, connecting centuries of oppression together.

— Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of whipping

Verb

One act featured two young women sitting on the stage and licking orange Popsicles (yes, that was the whole act).

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Owners should also watch for licking that is sudden, persistent or severe enough to cause hair loss or skin damage.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of licking

Browse Nearby Words

enslaves

enslaving

ensnare

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Style

“Enslaving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enslaving. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of enslaving

verb

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