Synonyms of slavish

slavish

adjective

ˈslā-vish 

1

as in imitative

using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model

slavish imitations of the great masters will never make you a painter in your own right

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imitative
• imitation
• emulative
• formulaic
• mock
• copied
• apish
• unoriginal
• mimetic
• mimic
• misleading
• deceptive
• false
• fraudulent
• canned
• epigonic
• artificial
• synthetic
• factitious
• fake
• counterfeit
• sham
• perfunctory
• reproduced
• simulated
• bogus
• substitute
• duplicated
• routine
• reduplicated
• uninspired
• cribbed
• photocopied
• transcribed
• plagiarized
• forged
• backup
• cut-and-dried
• man-made

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• original
• true
• legitimate
• real
• authentic
• natural
• bona fide
• genuine
• archetypal
• classic
• ideal
• model

2

as in humble

showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness

the assistant's slavish agreement with his boss's every thought, no matter how half-baked

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humble
• servile
• abject
• meek
• menial
• base
• sheepish
• sycophantic
• hangdog
• modest
• fawning
• unassuming
• lowly
• lamblike
• retiring
• unpretentious
• sycophant
• demure
• toadyish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• superior
• arrogant
• haughty
• imperious
• supercilious
• lordly
• uppity
• high-handed

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slavish distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of slavish are obsequious, servile, and subservient. While all these words mean "showing or characterized by extreme compliance or abject obedience," slavish suggests abject or debased servility.

the slavish status of migrant farm workers

When is obsequious a more appropriate choice than slavish?

While in some cases nearly identical to slavish, obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner.

waiters who are obsequious in the presence of celebrities

When might servile be a better fit than slavish?

While the synonyms servile and slavish are close in meaning, servile suggests the mean or fawning behavior of a slave.

a political boss and his entourage of servile hangers-on

When can subservient be used instead of slavish?

The meanings of subservient and slavish largely overlap; however, subservient implies the cringing manner of one very conscious of a subordinate position.

domestic help was expected to be properly subservient

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of slavish

But with Sleep No More, premiering in Berlin’s Special Midnight section this week, the director makes a headlong plunge into horror — infusing the genre with black comedy and a pointed critique of humanity’s slavish worship of capitalism. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026

But letting the neck of her white t-shirt peek through at the top tells us that this outfit was made with both style and comfort in mind, not a slavish devotion to trends. — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Jan. 2026

Meanwhile, a stylist has had to cancel his own honeymoon due to delays in the tour, indicating both slavish, life-altering devotion to the British pop star in her coterie, but also her obliviousness to such things going on. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026

People who climb upward by sacrificing their integrity to slavish subservience almost always fall on their faces eventually. — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025