slaves 1 of 2

Definition of slavesnext
plural of slave
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slaves

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of slave

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 slaves
Noun
Debt culture is creating slaves of individuals, states, and nations. Linh Tat, Oc Register, 4 May 2026 Rastus, Westinghouse’s Great Depression-era robot, was the most overtly racialized of these corporate robot slaves. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Apr. 2026 Some of the first slaves to arrive in Louisiana were sent from Angola, according to historians. ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 The massive structure was built between 1805 and 1820 by thousands of former slaves, and stands as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2026 During the colonial era, slaves were forcibly baptized here before being sold. Mathew Schmalz, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026 The Army gave officers who brought along their slaves a monthly ration or its cash equivalent. Craig Fehrman, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2026 It was reserved only for slaves, criminals and political rebels. John Blake, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026 In Guinea …rounded by the Portuguese seaman Gil Eanes (Gilianes) in 1434, and some years later the first cargoes of slaves and gold were brought back to Lisbon. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slaves
Noun
  • In 2011, the teenage prince, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, arrived at USC with a small army of servants for an undergrad filled with luxury Lakers suites, exotic cars and a full-time residence at the Beverly Wilshire hotel.
    Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
  • Chunhyang tried to get a message to him through servants, but the messages never reached him.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
Noun
  • He is accused of not checking work authorizations before hiring laborers, according to the Post.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
  • While the independent committee supporting Coyne is backed by Local 89, a laborers union, Crosby has been endorsed by the city’s largest labor union — the Municipal Employees Association — and the region’s largest labor organization, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Every man and woman who labors in the construction industry deserves that.
    Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Plus, bail bondsmen are the ultimate local rent seekers.
    Dan Gooding Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Alarmed by growing difficulties for skyway-level residents, workers and shop owners, Kehmeier joined forces with fellow skyway denizens to launch Friends of the Skyway in January.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 10 May 2026
  • Lately, a solid consumer has left retailers confident enough to hire more workers to stock shelves or staff cash registers.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Green struggles to score 16 points in an empty gym.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
  • The departures of certain Kaiser Permanente offices and a string of prominent restaurant and bar closures have come to symbolize the city’s struggles to retain employers and attract new ones.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • As Miranda faces public outcry and the pressures of a downturning publishing industry, Andy once again strives for her approval amid her steadfast pursuit of rigorous journalism.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 May 2026
  • Dan Drazen, Trinity’s vice president of development, said the overarching redevelopment design strives to make Mary Shepard Place more resemble what the neighborhood looked like prior to the construction of Bellevue Square in 1942 and what still exists today in the surrounding area.
    Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Name what works, define one agreement, and build from something that feels stable and reliable.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 5 May 2026
  • But the slow realization that Snake Rob was a genuine threat who would ultimately run the game was especially satisfying and a reminder of how well The Traitors works as an all-star showcase and narrative machine, even in its fourth season.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slaves. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

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