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
Trump is, however, no slave to convention, especially considering the ugly optics of postponing the trip a second time. Charlie Campbell, Time, 7 May 2026 Sojourner Truth, a former slave who had escaped to freedom and become an advocate for the rights of Black Americans and women, spoke at the first meeting of the American Equal Rights Association in New York. USA Today, 6 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
  • The items included a double-breasted waistcoat and a black silk neckerchief tied in a bowknot, more indicative of what would be worn by a steward or officer’s servant, as well as a clothes brush.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026
  • My agenda will raise people’s standard of living and expectations of the public servant.
    Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Noun
  • Many were Indigenous seasonal laborers who came from poor, remote mountain villages with low vaccination rates.
    Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 17 May 2026
  • Officials with the City of McDonough on Friday identified the man as Naquavious Brazil, 22, who worked as a laborer for the county’s DOT.
    Reed Williams, AJC.com, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Kreider, who dealt with injuries last season with the New York Rangers, has labored.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 14 May 2026
  • When Cale Makar was clearly laboring in the final couple of games of this series, Kulak and Brent Burns were outstanding.
    Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Bail bondsman Ira Judelson secured the bond for his release.
    Mark Prussin, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • An afternoon stroll with Oscar (Diego Calva), who begins as Arlo’s social worker and becomes Peter’s love interest, is invitingly honey-colored in the sunlight, while a druggy nightclub hookup devolves into a dreamy blur of body parts.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026
  • Others are alive with the sound of hammers and saws, as workers frame new construction.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • The two finished atop a crowded field that also featured Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who both struggled to break through in a GOP contest overshadowed by the feud between the two front-runners.
    Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 20 May 2026
  • Mergers might encourage other states to offer similar programs as a way of funnelling more students into struggling four-year campuses.
    Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • These are human beings, not chattel.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Before meeting Rael-Gálvez, Daria Celeste Landress had learned while researching her family history that three Indigenous ancestors had been listed in historical documents as chattel, alongside furniture, houses, and trees.
    Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Anyone who’s seen enough adaptations knows the difference between one that strives to apprehend the source material and one that feels derived from a Wikipedia summary.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 May 2026
  • Markowicz directs from her original script, which blends drama and dark satire to broach issues of privilege, complex family relationships, inheritance, and how the elite strive to maintain polished appearances in a fast-paced, ever-changing world.
    Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 17 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slave. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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