as in serfdom
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Recent Examples of peonage
The Black community’s relationship with growing food is colored by exploitive practices, from slavery to sharecropping, tenant farming and peonage, or debt servitude.
—
Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press, 27 Nov. 2024
Further, this much control over the autonomy of an athlete’s rights to their own NIL rights combined with a financial obligation could also trigger scrutiny under the 13th Amendment, which, in addition to abolishing slavery, placed prohibitions on peonage (i.e., working against your will).
—Joe Sabin, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
The Wilberforce Act covers physical abuse and peonage, which is forced labor.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2024
Convict leasing, also called peonage, juxtaposed the infrastructure of the Old English debtor’s prison with the barbarism of chattel slavery to bolster American capitalism.
—Phillip Vance Smith, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for peonage
Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press, 27 Nov. 2024
Further, this much control over the autonomy of an athlete’s rights to their own NIL rights combined with a financial obligation could also trigger scrutiny under the 13th Amendment, which, in addition to abolishing slavery, placed prohibitions on peonage (i.e., working against your will).
—Joe Sabin, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
The Wilberforce Act covers physical abuse and peonage, which is forced labor.
—Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2024
Convict leasing, also called peonage, juxtaposed the infrastructure of the Old English debtor’s prison with the barbarism of chattel slavery to bolster American capitalism.
—Phillip Vance Smith, JSTOR Daily, 1 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for peonage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peonage
Noun
-
For them, freedom meant ending serfdom too.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Kollwitz’ life also coincided with the final days of aristocratic feudalism and serfdom in Germany and the nation’s economic transition to Industrialism.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The daughter of a gentleman and a maid, Sophie was orphaned at a young age and forced into servitude by her own father’s wife, the staggeringly bitter and petty Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
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On the one hand, Lady Penwood has tormented Sophie since her father’s death, denying her parentage, forcing her into servitude, and working her to the bone.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Western civilization has created incredible innovation and achievements, while sadly slavery and colonialism will always be a part of history.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Then, drive 20 minutes down the road to the Cape Coast Castle Museum, which acknowledges the grim atrocities and consequences of slavery.—
Melanie van Zyl,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For Vásquez, the end of the Civil War marked a bright line between Rosario’s enslavement and freedom.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
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Black history in America is, of course, more than the story of enslavement and what was done to Black people on this continent across hundreds of years.—
Adam Harris,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Months later, Gershon was hanging from the ceiling, dressed in bondage gear, reflecting upon her early acting goals to perform Chekhov, portray Medea and stun audiences into silence.—
Cat Woods,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Shibari is Japanese rope bondage.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Today is the beginning of their fifth year under the yoke of war.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
An abrasion-resistant Cordura overlay covers the shoulders, hood and upper sleeves for extra durability, and an extra layer of synthetic down in the yoke, upper sleeves, and draft flap improve heat retention.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Peonage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peonage. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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