slave 1 of 2

Definition of slavenext
1
as in servant
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in laborer
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

slave

2 of 2

verb

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 slave
Noun
Four of the justices appointed by Republican presidents see the original public meaning of the 14th Amendment as quite different, primarily recognizing the citizenship of former slaves and their descendants after the Civil War. Morgan Marietta, The Conversation, 30 June 2026 Cohen also invited Tom DeWolf, whose family was once the largest slave-trader in the United States, to join him. Jericka Duncan, CBS News, 28 June 2026
Verb
Defined by exhaustion from slaving away at the ironing board while confronting the latest family crisis, Angela is quite capable of whipping up baloney sandwiches with mayonnaise for all and functions as a wise-cracking, big-hearted den mother. Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025 However, the worse the prison’s conditions become — as the workers are forced to slave away on secret Death Star parts with no promise of release — the more Kino is pushed to join Cassian and his brewing prisoner revolt. Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slave
Noun
  • Hemings was brought to Paris from 1787 to 1789 to work as a servant and maid for Jefferson's household.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Suddenly, the servant saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around them – representing spiritual forces of divine protection.
    Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • He is accused of not checking work authorizations before hiring laborers, according to the Post.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 26 June 2026
  • Israel soon barred nearly two hundred thousand Palestinian laborers from its workforce.
    Nirit Peled, New Yorker, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • On the same pitch earlier, South Africa labored past Bangladesh by four wickets and waited for India's fate.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 June 2026
  • In the days since posting the news, Mitchell has continued to update her followers about the aftermath and the start of the healing process, including videos of herself laboring.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • That is the standard set for bringing weapons and cellphones into a secure area, safeguarding department property, monitoring the radio, misusing department letterhead, badges or insignia, secondary employment violations, and recommending bondsmen or attorneys to inmates.
    Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
  • Kim Kardashian, who has advocated for prison reform, paid the bondsman to have Glossip released, her publicist told The Oklahoman.
    Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • And as many companies continue to prioritize in-person workers for promotions, this gap will likely widen even further over time.
    Colleen Batchelder, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • But this year, the union, which covers nine bargaining units and represents nearly 100,000 state workers, is not currently scheduled to receive a raise this summer.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Amid the mutiny in the House, Johnson canceled unrelated votes, struggling to get enough support to move the legislation.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • The Pirates posted a six-run fifth inning against struggling starter Aaron Nola (3-5).
    CBS News, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Men were masters over their women, their chattel, and their emotions.
    Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
  • The law turned human beings into chattel, allowing them to be worked, beaten, sold, raped and killed — and France never formally did away with it.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Verb
  • When technology lowers the cost of doing something, companies always strive to do more.
    Jeremy Fain, Fortune, 1 July 2026
  • For example, business functions strive for growth, while development teams focus on functionality.
    Eugenia Mykuliak, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slave. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on slave

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster