enslaved; enslaving; enslaves
: to force into or as if into slavery : subjugate
The building holds bronze statues of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, who were born, and enslaved, on Maryland's Eastern Shore.—
Evan Osnos
Evan OsnosIt has long been known that Nordic warriors established outposts more than a millennium ago on Poland's Baltic coast, enslaving indigenous Slavic peoples to supply a booming slave trade, as well trading in salt, amber and other commodities.—Andrew Higgins
Andrew HigginsThis oddly contradictory view of artificial intelligence is somehow a perfect symbol of AI's place in our imaginations at this moment in history—something that will eliminate countless jobs, a boost for creativity, an end to drudgery, or perhaps a monstrous force that will take over our planet and enslave humanity.—Minda Zetlin
Minda Zetlin
enslavement
in-ˈslāv-mənt 
noun
en-
plural enslavements
… the continued enslavement of millions of human beings after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
—Juan Cole
Juan Cole
sexual/economic enslavement
Examples of enslave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The quilombo—a term for a rural settlement established by the formerly enslaved—is less than ten minutes from the water.
—Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
The foundation aims to address and heal the wounds of those whose ancestors were enslaved by the Catholic Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, through programs working for restorative justice and racial equity.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
And so when Frederick Douglass first understood that he was enslaved was a very pivotal moment in his life.
—Abc News, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2025
Before the amendment passed, men and women of African descent could not be citizens, even if they were not enslaved.
—Marcela Valdes, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enslave
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Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
The foundation aims to address and heal the wounds of those whose ancestors were enslaved by the Catholic Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, through programs working for restorative justice and racial equity.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025
And so when Frederick Douglass first understood that he was enslaved was a very pivotal moment in his life.
—Abc News, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2025
Before the amendment passed, men and women of African descent could not be citizens, even if they were not enslaved.
—Marcela Valdes, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enslave
Cite this Entry
“Enslave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enslave. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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