handmaidens

noun

variants also handmaids
plural of handmaiden
as in housekeepers
a female domestic servant the princess was intensely shy, and allowed only her handmaiden to enter her chambers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 handmaidens The handmaids’ crimson robes evolved into protest iconography around the world because the story captured fears about authoritarianism and gender more viscerally than overt political messaging ever could. — Marc Adelman, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026 Curators pop up in famous artists’ biographies all the time, usually as handmaidens to the creator’s genius, opening a door to a gallery here or supporting a grant application there. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026 The common foe of all is expansionist Iran and its handmaidens Hamas and Hezbollah. — Josef Joffe, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for handmaidens
  1. housekeepers
  2. maids
Noun
  • Toward the middle, chief housekeepers can earn between $4,000 and $7,000 monthly, while executive chefs can make $5,000 to $9,000.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 8 July 2026
  • The two housekeepers denied having such a conversation with Brown, noting language differences would have made such a discussion unlikely.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026
Definition of housekeepers
Noun
  • The unsightly mushroom could have corrupted her maids’ morals, or even their health.
    — Leah Hudson, Popular Science, 9 July 2026
  • Palace maids stand around a plump woman, struggling to fasten a black belt sash around her waist.
    — Lavender Au, The Dial, 30 June 2026
Definition of maids

Browse Nearby Words

handmaiden
handmaidens
hand-me-down
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Cite this Entry

“Handmaidens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handmaidens. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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