slavery
Americannoun
-
the condition of being enslaved, held, or owned as human chattel or property; bondage.
- Synonyms:
- enthrallment, thralldom
-
a practice or institution that treats or recognizes some human beings as the legal property of others.
-
a state of subjection like that of a slave.
He longed to escape the slavery of drug addiction.
-
severe toil; drudgery.
noun
-
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
-
the subjection of a person to another person, esp in being forced into work
-
the condition of being subject to some influence or habit
-
work done in harsh conditions for low pay
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of slavery
Explanation
Slavery is the brutal and immoral practice of forcing someone into servitude without paying them. Slavery is when one person is owned by another person and forced to work without pay. It's a cruel system where people are treated as property, not as individuals with rights. Slavery has been a part of history for centuries, but it's widely condemned today as a violation of human rights.The word slavery comes from the Latin sclava, meaning “Slavonic captive,” referring to the 9th-century slavery of Slavonic people, but it came to mean anyone in captivity, not just Slavs.
Vocabulary lists containing slavery
Ancient Egypt - Introductory
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The American Civil War
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Ancient Greece - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Carcopino’s text was indeed a popular standard, and even if scholars of ancient slavery have long since abandoned this exculpatory view, any living historian of ancient Rome can confirm that the misjudgment lingers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
"It's like being fired," Leandro Hidalgo, a delivery driver and union representative, told AFP, accusing the platforms of "financial slavery."
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Since then, at least four other women have received positive "conclusive grounds" decisions recognising them as victims of modern slavery, with more expected to follow, according to PA Media.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
However unlikely a candidate he might have been, Lincoln as president preserved the union and helped bring about the end of slavery.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Only Mr. Lincoln was talking about slavery splitting the whole country in two—“I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.”
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
