slave 1 of 2

noun

ˈslāv How to pronounce slave (audio)
Definition of slavenext
1
as in servant
a person who is considered the property of another person many American slaves reached freedom in the North through the network known as the Underground Railroad

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in laborer
a person who does very hard or dull work unappreciated office slaves who perform the necessary but tedious task of filing paperwork

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slave

2 of 2

verb

as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort slaving over a hot stove

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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 slave
Noun
The Florida Advanced Courses and Test—or FACT, for short—is heavy on American exceptionalism, light on slave narratives. — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026 What is known for sure is that shortly after the wall’s demolition, the intersection of Wall Street and Pearl Street served as New York City’s slave market from 1711 to 1762. — Joe Yogerst, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
Verb
Magadan had a deadly reputation in the Stalin era, as a hub for Gulag mines where political prisoners slaved sometimes to death and produced gold and other minerals in the process. — Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026 The Swiss brand—ever the innovators—modified its automatic calibre 1030 by fitting it with an extra hour hand slaved to the local hour hand and placed this movement in an Oyster case. — Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slave
  1. servant
  2. laborer
  3. labor
  4. bondman
  5. worker
  6. struggle
  7. chattel
  8. strive
Noun
  • The film also features Odysseus’ servant Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) and Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, the Greek king of Sparta.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • Lawyers are, in his formulation, both loyal servants of their clients and public citizens with special responsibility for the quality of justice.
    — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of servant
Noun
  • In the shrimp ponds, these landless laborers earn only a few dollars a day, with no contracts or protections.
    — Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, The Dial, 7 July 2026
  • Duties while at the firehouse included speaking with laborers and subcontractors, ordering supplies and discussions with other Good Neighbor Investors members, Mora recalled.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of laborer
Verb
  • But others are still at work, laboring under a new collective bargaining agreement with another labor organization, the International Longshoremen’s Association.
    — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • The infant had been trapped for almost three days; a team of rescuers from Fairfax, Virginia, had been laboring to reach the boy, who was nine months old, for at least six hours.
    — Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • That is the standard set for bringing weapons and cellphones into a secure area, safeguarding department property, monitoring the radio, misusing department letterhead, badges or insignia, secondary employment violations, and recommending bondsmen or attorneys to inmates.
    — Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
  • Kim Kardashian, who has advocated for prison reform, paid the bondsman to have Glossip released, her publicist told The Oklahoman.
    — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
Definition of bondman
Noun
  • Advocates viewed Cal/OSHA’S recognition of the detainees as workers as a victory that could pave the way for future labor rights fights at other detention centers in the state.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • The women who get promoted aren’t always the hardest workers in the room.
    — Janice Gassam Asare, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of worker
Verb
  • Acuff got off to a much better start after struggling to make shots in his summer league debut on Saturday.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 July 2026
  • While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • Men were masters over their women, their chattel, and their emotions.
    — Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
  • The law turned human beings into chattel, allowing them to be worked, beaten, sold, raped and killed — and France never formally did away with it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Definition of chattel
Verb
  • When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
    — Jeremy Fain, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
    — Eugenia Mykuliak, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of strive

Phrases Containing slave

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slaughters
slave
slaved
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Cite this Entry

“Slave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slave. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of slave for Spanish Speakers

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