1
as in servants
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 laborers
a person who does very hard or dull work
unappreciated office slaves who perform the necessary but tedious task of filing paperwork
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in labors
to devote serious and sustained effort
slaving over a hot stove
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slaves
Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
The park service removed explanatory panels last month from Independence National Historical Park, the site where George and Martha Washington lived with nine of their slaves in the 1790s, when Philadelphia was briefly the nation’s capital.
—Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Above all, Morrison worried about turning characters, especially slaves, into objects of voyeurism.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
These sold their products, procured supplies and luxury goods, and wrote mortgages on their plantations and slaves when spenders like Thomas Jefferson lived beyond their means.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
The circular route that Nour takes, from France to the country of her ancestors, is contrasted with a traditional French wedding filled with the descendants of these very same slaves.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Spain brought the crop to the island in the 1500s and set up massive plantations manned by slaves.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The Supreme Court was a particular target of Lincoln, who, along with other young members of the Republican Party, was still angered by the Court for the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857 which declared that slaves were not American citizens.
—Mikayla Bunnell, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Historians estimate up to 45,000 slaves passed through Detroit on the Underground Railroad.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
He's heard that if a black person becomes president, white people become slaves.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
The park service removed explanatory panels last month from Independence National Historical Park, the site where George and Martha Washington lived with nine of their slaves in the 1790s, when Philadelphia was briefly the nation’s capital.
—Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Above all, Morrison worried about turning characters, especially slaves, into objects of voyeurism.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
These sold their products, procured supplies and luxury goods, and wrote mortgages on their plantations and slaves when spenders like Thomas Jefferson lived beyond their means.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026
The circular route that Nour takes, from France to the country of her ancestors, is contrasted with a traditional French wedding filled with the descendants of these very same slaves.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Spain brought the crop to the island in the 1500s and set up massive plantations manned by slaves.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
The Supreme Court was a particular target of Lincoln, who, along with other young members of the Republican Party, was still angered by the Court for the infamous Dred Scott decision in 1857 which declared that slaves were not American citizens.
—Mikayla Bunnell, Hartford Courant, 3 Feb. 2026
Historians estimate up to 45,000 slaves passed through Detroit on the Underground Railroad.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slaves
Noun
-
An army of college servants swept river silt from the courtyards.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
-
In the 1885 territorial census, Soledad and her five-year-old daughter, Cleotilde, were listed as servants in the household of Romero’s brother.—
Geraldo Cadava,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Around a thousand union laborers were laid off.—
Nick Paumgarten,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Many employers otherwise perform only superficial efforts at verification of legal status of employees, confident that enforcement agencies will target laborers, not management.—
Federico Peña,
Denver Post,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Plus, bail bondsmen are the ultimate local rent seekers.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The Labor Department published a rule Friday that would undo egregious attempts during the last administration to classify more workers as employees rather than independent contractors.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Groups representing 700,000 workers at Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have also signed an open letter.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As each assignee struggles under the weight of conscience, coercion, and fear, the darkly satirical story examines who draws society’s moral lines, who enforces them, and what happens when they are crossed under extreme pressure.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The defeat intensifies pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who already faced a leadership crisis and struggles with cost-of-living challenges.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Vrabel went on to say that Gonzalez strives to be a captain.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
-
For a population that strives not only to be good, but to be officially good—to dedicate its offices to the needs and the vindication of the vulnerable—the persistence of family abuse is an embarrassing rebuke.—
Elaine Blair,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her husband also works for the two-person business as its chief political strategist.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Nothing that works today to hit the Russians will work next month.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slaves. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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