serfs

noun

plural of serf
as in slaves
a person in the past who belonged to a low social class and who lived and worked on land owned by another person Medieval serfs who tended land owned by a lord.

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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 serfs Nowadays there is less merriment, sunk as Moscow is in a combination of Putin stagnation, the Ukraine war, and the techno-feudalism that is making serfs of all of us in a world owned by billionaires pumping propaganda through the black boxes in the palm of our hands. — Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serfs
  1. slaves
  2. servants
Noun
  • Talladega College Founded in 1867 by former slaves, Talladega's campus is home to celebrated murals by Hale Woodruff depicting the 1839 Amistad slave ship rebellion.
    — Asia Alexander, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The notion of zombies went back to that Caribbean nation’s days as a European colony, when huge numbers of largely African slaves were brutally disciplined and frequently worked to death by a white-settler minority.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of slaves
Noun
  • The fantasy series’ new season will also introduce the dread Nazgnagôl, Sauron’s Second Age ring-servants.
    — Debbie Day, Entertainment Weekly, 24 July 2026
  • Then, the families of the slain suitors assemble and vow revenge, clashing with Odysseus, Telemachus, Laertes and the loyal servants — only to have Athena intervene and abruptly put a stop to the fighting.
    — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 July 2026
Definition of servants

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serfdoms
serfs
sergeant
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Cite this Entry

“Serfs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serfs. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on serfs

Nglish: Translation of serfs for Spanish Speakers

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