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

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Recent Examples of servitude Colorado Department of Corrections officials forced inmates to work prison jobs through coercion that ultimately amounted to involuntary servitude, a Denver judge ruled Friday. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 16 Feb. 2026 Voters overwhelmingly abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in prisons in 2018. Austen Erblat, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026 Her name is Sophie Beckett, the daughter of an earl who was forced into servitude by her cruel stepmother after her father’s death. Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 The last World Cup, Bertoli notes, was held in Qatar, an energy-rich constitutional monarchy where freedom of association and expression is heavily restricted and thousands of migrant workers are held in conditions that have been likened to slavery or servitude. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for servitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for servitude
slavery
Noun
  • Speaking in New York City on Tuesday, Mahama was referring to moves such as the dismantling of slavery exhibits, the restoration of Confederate statues, and the removal of Black history courses from school curricula, Reuters reported.
    Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 25 Mar. 2026
  • The law allowed new states to choose whether to be slave or free, bringing the prospect of slavery to the Great Plains.
    Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Servitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/servitude. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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