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 Word Forms

• preslavery adjective

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

Speaking at a news conference near Tampa, Ladapo called mandates “immoral” and compared them to slavery.

From Salon

Gray’s piece will also be in dialogue with this room, calling to it from another time and place — asking viewers to turn their gaze to history, slavery, transcendence, salvation, power and so much more.

From Los Angeles Times

Ostensibly this censorship targets books with queer content but can easily be used to remove books that accurately depict American slavery, the Jim Crow era or any inconvenient truth, really.

From Salon

The American Civil War was “the War of Northern Aggression” and not a fight to end slavery.

From Salon

Who feels unsafe seeing an exhibition about slavery at a history museum?

From Salon

Related Words

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