SERVILITY Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

servility

noun

Definition of servility

as in slavery

the state of being an enslaved person the joy that emancipation must have brought to people who had known only servility since birth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 servility Though the national independence be blurred by the servility of individuals, though freedom and equality have been proclaimed only to leave room for a monstrous display of slave-dealing and slave-keeping . — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for servility

Noun

What happened next changed the young United States, forcing people to question the line between law — which protected slavery — and justice, which demanded resistance to that law.

— Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
But advocates say that for many Haitians in Springfield, the devices evoke the painful history of shackles worn during slavery.

— Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of slavery

Noun

Countless stories of Zeke’s kindness, bravery and commitment to a life of servitude took up the nearly eight-hour hearing.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
On the other hand, the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims that withholding privileges or credits constituted involuntary servitude.

— Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026

Definition of servitude

Browse Nearby Words

servilities

servility

serving

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Servility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/servility. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of servility

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gist

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes