enslave

verb

en·​slave in-ˈslāv How to pronounce enslave (audio)
en-
enslaved; enslaving; enslaves

transitive verb

: 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
It 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
This 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
enslavement noun
plural enslavements
… the continued enslavement of millions of human beings after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Juan Cole
sexual/economic enslavement

Examples of enslave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Washington inherited it in 1761 and expanded it dramatically over the decades -- most of the work being done by people enslaved at Mount Vernon, officials said. Michael E. Ruane The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 20 Oct. 2024 The island is home to about 70 full-time residents of the Hog Hammock community, many of them descendants of people enslaved at Sapelo plantations. John Deem, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024 Ball had died the previous year, and five of his plantations were listed for sale — along with the people enslaved on them. Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 17 Oct. 2024 The populations in the North and South were almost equal, but one-third of those living in the South were enslaved. Doug Melville, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for enslave 

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of enslave was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near enslave

Cite this Entry

“Enslave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enslave. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

enslave

verb
en·​slave in-ˈslāv How to pronounce enslave (audio)
: to force into slavery
enslavement noun
enslaver noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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