SERVILE Synonyms: 27 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'servile' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of servile are obsequious , slavish , and subservient . While all these words mean "showing or characterized by extreme compliance or abject obedience," servile suggests the mean or fawning behavior of a slave. // a political boss and his entourage of servile hangers-on

Q: When might 'obsequious' be a better fit than 'servile'?

While in some cases nearly identical to servile , obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner. // waiters who are obsequious in the presence of celebrities

Q: When could 'slavish' be used to replace 'servile'?

The words slavish and servile can be used in similar contexts, but slavish suggests abject or debased servility. // the slavish status of migrant farm workers

Q: When would 'subservient' be a good substitute for 'servile'?

In some situations, the words subservient and servile are roughly equivalent. However, subservient implies the cringing manner of one very conscious of a subordinate position. // domestic help was expected to be properly subservient

servile

adjective

ˈsər-vəl

Definition of servile

as in humble

showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness had always maintained a servile attitude around people with money

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word servile distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of servile are obsequious, slavish, and subservient. While all these words mean "showing or characterized by extreme compliance or abject obedience," servile suggests the mean or fawning behavior of a slave.

a political boss and his entourage of servile hangers-on

When might obsequious be a better fit than servile?

While in some cases nearly identical to servile, obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner.

waiters who are obsequious in the presence of celebrities

When could slavish be used to replace servile?

The words slavish and servile can be used in similar contexts, but slavish suggests abject or debased servility.

the slavish status of migrant farm workers

When would subservient be a good substitute for servile?

In some situations, the words subservient and servile are roughly equivalent. However, subservient implies the cringing manner of one very conscious of a subordinate position.

domestic help was expected to be properly subservient

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of servile Some Hawaiian cultural experts say aloha is a complex and fluid idea, too often misconstrued as a sweet and servile way of tolerating visitors. —Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023 Arriving at Egg Island sporting bohemian attire and a distinctly non-deferent attitude, Monk swiftly arouses the suspicions of Horton and his stuffy, servile housekeeper Mrs. McMurray (Kristine Nielsen). —Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Sep. 2023 The statue features a godlike Lincoln astride a kneeling, formerly enslaved man in a loincloth — his servile gratitude could not be more apparent. —Peter Marks, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023 Will Dagger, too, as a farmhand who feels too deeply for people who rarely acknowledge his presence, makes a memorable virtue of the character’s servile role. —Peter Marks, Washington Post, 14 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for servile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for servile

Adjective

Assuming every other factor is the same, a bigger home with high-end materials will almost always cost more than one with a smaller floor plan and more humble finishes.

— Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2025
Some come from humble backgrounds, and modeling is something that totally changes their lives.

— Aamina Inayat Khan, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2025