slavery

noun

ˈslā-v(ə-)rē How to pronounce slavery (audio)
Definition of slaverynext
1
as in enslavement
the state of being an enslaved person a child born into slavery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work endured the slavery of working in the coal mines every day of his adult life

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 slavery Some in Nigeria view Yahoo Boys as folk heroes, stealing money from white foreigners as a means of reparations for slavery and colonialism. — Mackenzie Farkus, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026 Brooks, a South Carolina congressman, was retaliating for a speech Sumner had given condemning slavery and personally insulting a relative of Brooks. — Paul Quigley, The Conversation, 13 July 2026 One of the most infamous is the Henrietta Marie, a slave ship that sold 200 people into slavery in Jamaica. — Amara Evering, Miami Herald, 11 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 See All Example Sentences for slavery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slavery
  1. enslavement
  2. labor
  3. servitude
  4. effort
  5. bondage
  6. drudgery
  7. captivity
  8. toil
Noun
  • Rock House is not only a reminder of Alexander’s achievements, a planter, blacksmith and leader of the American Revolution in Mecklenburg County, but also the enslavement of at least 17 people that occurred there.
    — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
  • Throughout the exhibition, the focus remains on the people who experienced the era firsthand — Union and Confederate soldiers, refugees displaced by war, and men and women who lived through both enslavement and freedom.
    — Brian Unger, CBS News, 12 July 2026
Definition of enslavement
Noun
  • In biology, for example, AI has compressed years of scientific labor into tools that can be shared across the world.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The city appears prepared to take a hard line on the labor issue, which Dunphy says includes everything from construction workers to concession stand employees.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • On the other hand, the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ claims that withholding privileges or credits constituted involuntary servitude.
    — Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026
  • In 2022, an eighty-year-old Pakistani American woman, Zahida Aman, and two of her sons were found guilty of forcing a woman from Pakistan into domestic servitude at their home in Virginia.
    — Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Definition of servitude
Noun
  • The totality of Clark’s effort made White react more like a fan than a coach.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Smaller nonprofit efforts — often faith-based — can also offer a soft landing place, but few exist.
    — Amber Gaudet July 18, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • From the earliest pioneering expeditions and nighttime escapes from bondage to the modern-day road trip, Americans are a people on the move – restless, ambitious and innovative.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Slave owners insisted that human bondage fulfilled God’s will.
    — Jim Rasenberger, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
Definition of bondage
Noun
  • Many leaders are rightly enthusiastic about how AI can help reduce burnout, eliminate drudgery and free people up for more meaningful work.
    — Carrie Varoquiers, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Sea Rangers offer a Swiss Army knife’s dexterity, pursuing government contracts across the European Union and United Kingdom to tackle the tedium of climate compliance and the drudgery of clearing those backlogs.
    — Richard Morgan, Time, 29 June 2026
Definition of drudgery
Noun
  • The movie, which starred an orca named Keiko, also dispelled myths about the killer whale and inspired activism around their captivity.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 9 July 2026
  • Their captivity took them from western Siberia to Yekaterinburg.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 July 2026
Definition of captivity
Noun
  • Outside, a group of tourists paused to watch her toil, then one read the restaurant sign near the door aloud.
    — Natalie B. Compton The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2026
  • The gods themselves are also an unnerving presence, omnipresent beings of colossal power who see humans as their playthings and view Ulysses' toils as some twisted spectator sport.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of toil

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Cite this Entry

“Slavery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slavery. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slavery

Nglish: Translation of slavery for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slavery

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