slave 1 of 2

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

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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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slave

2 of 2

verb

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
This included the establishment of state penal farms on former slave plantations and widespread convict leasing of incarcerated workers’ labor to private companies. Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026 Whites transported slaves into this land. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
Verb
After two years away on loan while Leeds were slaving away in the second tier, the winger has returned to find his old No 11 shirt in Brenden Aaronson’s possession. The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025 Defined by exhaustion from slaving away at the ironing board while confronting the latest family crisis, Angela is quite capable of whipping up baloney sandwiches with mayonnaise for all and functions as a wise-cracking, big-hearted den mother. Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slave
Noun
  • One is a military veteran who pitches himself as a lifelong civic servant and recently tossed his name in the hat.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
  • Pamela, a servant, rejects the advances of her wealthy employer and thereby induces him to marry her.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • In fact, in a time when artificial intelligence imperils the livelihoods – and lives – of laborers across economic classes, sumptuous spectacle can be an act of resistance in its own right.
    Eileen G'Sell, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
  • The town attracts large numbers of laborers who work in large gold mines with muddy pools of gold deposits, narrow pits and caves.
    Justin Kabumba, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • The start didn’t get much easier for Bradley, who labored through a four-inning effort and suffered the loss against the Pirates.
    Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 3 June 2026
  • Martinez directs much credit to pitching coach Kyle Snyder and those who labor over pitching charts and the like.
    Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
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
Noun
  • Gang intervention workers have been credited by city officials as one of the factors behind significant reductions in violent crime in recent years, with homicides and shootings both falling to near-historic lows.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • The implosion occurred during a shift change, and the six workers whose bodies were found were in an area of the site where workers would go before their shift, Matt Amos, Longview fire battalion chief, said, per The Guardian.
    Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • As families struggle with rising costs, healthcare affordability has emerged as a defining issue heading into the midterms.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
  • The back-to-back deals offer one of the clearest signals yet that Abel is prepared to put Berkshire’s enormous balance sheet to work after years of criticism that the company had become too cautious and was struggling to find opportunities large enough to move the needle.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 2 June 2026
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
Verb
  • Admire the artistry that comes with 11 players a side striving to best represent their country.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 June 2026
  • Unlike impersonators, who pretend to be Elvis and sometimes present a characterized version of the king, tribute artists strive for authenticity.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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