serfs

plural of serf
as in slaves
a person in the past who belonged to a low social class and who lived and worked on land owned by another person Medieval serfs who tended land owned by a lord.

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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 serfs Slaves, serfs, peasants, and wage workers mostly understood that what was being struck was a hammer blow on their behalf. Jack Sheehan september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serfs
Noun
  • Also set to be removed from public view is information at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park in West Virginia, where abolitionist John Brown led a raid with the intention of arming slaves for a revolt.
    News Desk, Artforum, 18 Sep. 2025
  • The law forced people in northern states to aid in returning escaped slaves or face imprisonment and/or a fine.
    La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • However, the story actually begins in London, where the Crawleys and a few essential servants are taking in a play penned by Noel Coward (Arty Froushan) and starring Guy Dexter (Dominic West).
    Mark Meszoros, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Since 2010, fans have followed the family of the Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), and their servants through six television seasons and three films.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Serfs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serfs. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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