slavery

[ sley-vuh-ree, sleyv-ree ]

noun

1. the condition of being enslaved, held, or owned as human chattel or property; bondage.

   Synonyms: enthrallment, thralldom

2. a practice or institution that treats or recognizes some human beings as the legal property of others.
3. a state of subjection like that of a slave:

   He longed to escape the slavery of drug addiction.

4. severe toil; drudgery.

   Synonyms: labor, moil

slavery

/ ˈsleɪvərɪ /

noun

1. the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune
2. the subjection of a person to another person, esp in being forced into work
3. the condition of being subject to some influence or habit
4. work done in harsh conditions for low pay

Other Words From

• pre·slaver·y adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of slavery¹

First recorded in 1545–55; slav(e) + -ery

Synonym Study

Slavery, bondage, servitude refer to involuntary subjection to another or others. Slavery emphasizes the idea of complete ownership and control by an owner or master: to be sold into slavery. Bondage indicates a state of subjugation or captivity often involving burdensome and degrading labor: in bondage to a cruel master. Servitude is compulsory service, often such as is required by a legal penalty: penal servitude.

Example Sentences

"My life will end after this tweet," he wrote at 19:20, adding: "I wish that one day Iranians will wake up and overcome slavery."

From BBC

Although it sets itself up to be about something more than a guy creatively luring women to slavery and slaughter, “Heretic” doesn’t need to be anything more than it is — not every film can reflect real social horror with the scalpel’s edge of “Get Out.”

From Los Angeles Times

The drafters of the amendment wanted to consign Dred Scott to the dustbin of history—not only by abolishing slavery, but also by compelling the government to forever recognize the equal citizenship of all people born in the U.S., so that no caste of “inferior” people could ever again be established.

From Slate

“In my interpretation, she represented those women before her who came from the hardships of slavery, through the pain of losing loved ones, through overcoming extraordinary depressions and tribulations,” Jamison wrote in her autobiography “Dancing Spirit.”

From Los Angeles Times

While the impact of these thinkers on the campaign to end slavery and achieve full citizenship has been increasingly acknowledged in recent decades, the breadth, coherence and significance of their vision remains little known.

From Salon

Related Words

• bondage
• captivity
• enslavement
• serfdom
• servitude
• subjugation