Definition of servitudenext
as in slavery
the state of being an enslaved person the Fugitive Slave Act had the effect of returning enslaved people who had made it to freedom in the North to a brutal life of servitude in the South

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 servitude Let’s go down memory lane and recall that the 13th Amendment is abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. Ann Marie Luft, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026 Like the Lenten journey, the onset of Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian servitude, the onset of a 40-year march homeward to the land of promise. Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026 Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a free Black man tricked into servitude for Steve McQueen's uneasy-to-watch yet essential pre-Civil War drama. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026 As androids are released from servitude and others chase down their own kind for their human masters, we're left to ponder the point-of-no-return for humanity and this artificial species. Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for servitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for servitude
slavery
Noun
  • Last month, Mottley led a subcommittee of Caribbean leaders that launched a new slavery reparations manifesto during a reparations conference in Ghana.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Clark accused some board members of whitewashing history after Young amended the curriculum to remove one definition of slavery for third-graders, citing redundancy.
    Rachel Royster. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Servitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/servitude. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on servitude

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!