1
as in subordinate
very willing to obey someone else
She was an equal partner in the marriage and not a subservient wife.
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2
as in secondary
having a less important role, job, or place as something else
The employees used to build things by hand but now were subservient to automated equipment that handled much of production.
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Recent Examples of subservient
But the oppressive structure of the cult soon becomes evident — media is completely disavowed, women must be subservient to men and contact with outsiders is kept to a bare minimum.
—
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Staff are always on-call and responsive without being intrusive or subservient.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Murals commissioned by the Section of Fine Arts (especially in the South) tended to shy away from the realities of Black life, and Black people were often shown in subservient roles.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Why, Buren asked, should the artist accept this subservient role?
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subservient
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Staff are always on-call and responsive without being intrusive or subservient.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Murals commissioned by the Section of Fine Arts (especially in the South) tended to shy away from the realities of Black life, and Black people were often shown in subservient roles.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Why, Buren asked, should the artist accept this subservient role?
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for subservient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subservient
Adjective
-
The economic order must remain subordinate to human dignity and the common good.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
30 May 2026
-
The study examined 518 manager-subordinate relationships and found that this leadership approach enhanced both employee thriving and performance through stronger positive job attitudes.—
Mary Hemphill,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
In terms of artwork pricing, PDS said that entry-level prices were declining for quality secondary-market, historic works, making this an ideal time to acquire pieces that were previously far less accessible.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
15 June 2026
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Those questions are not secondary.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Richards gave millions of dollars to the cult, Eternal Values, while living a double life as both a globe-trotting supermodel and obedient cult member, as reported in a recent story in The Hollywood Reporter.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
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The Flaws are the typical employees of a German government office – quiet, obedient and spectacularly bad at their jobs.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ample research shows that passive content consumption among kids and teens is adversely affecting attention spans, language attainment, and other factors that help make deep reading both sustainable and fun.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
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Contrasting her with the meek, mysterious, and passive Anthy, the series examines the constrictions both men and women face via traditional gender roles, with an eye towards gender fluidity that remains radical today.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subservient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subservient. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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