1
as in subordinate
very willing to obey someone else
She was an equal partner in the marriage and not a subservient wife.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in secondary
having a less important role, job, or place as something else
The employees used to build things by hand but now were subservient to automated equipment that handled much of production.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of subservient
Despite working in a position of power within the ecosystem of the hotel, they are still essentially subservient to all of their guests, if not significantly less well off.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025
We are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
The problem of a very hierarchical party is that not a lot of alternative figures emerge because there’s the leader and only the leader, and everyone else is just subservient to the leader.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2025
And, when the U.S. government began requesting the extradition of the leaders, the Salvadoran courts, subservient to Bukele, repeatedly found excuses to avoid handing them over.
—Danielle MacKey, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subservient
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025
We are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
The problem of a very hierarchical party is that not a lot of alternative figures emerge because there’s the leader and only the leader, and everyone else is just subservient to the leader.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2025
And, when the U.S. government began requesting the extradition of the leaders, the Salvadoran courts, subservient to Bukele, repeatedly found excuses to avoid handing them over.
—Danielle MacKey, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for subservient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subservient
Adjective
-
The 6th Ranger Training Battalion belongs to the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade which is a subordinate brigade of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
-
The company kept the HBO brand, of course, as subordinate under the Max umbrella.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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With the addition of Eagle Rare 12, the brand adds a new anchor point—a bottle with enough complexity for connoisseurs but a price tag that won’t send you into a bidding war on the secondary market (for now).—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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At the time of the acquisition, some of the whiskey had already been moved into secondary casks after 14 years in bourbon barrels, specifically muscat and sauternes.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
They’re done being obedient to an archaic and broken system.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2024
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According to the new framing, Russia’s real fight is against the mighty United States, which wants to destroy it, while Ukraine—just like the European Union and NATO—is merely an obedient U.S. satellite.—
Andrei Kolesnikov,
Foreign Affairs,
25 May 2023
Adjective
-
It is not intended for remote workers or passive citizens.—
Laura Begley Bloom,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Topics include earning passive income online, mastering communication and public speaking skills, acing your job interview, and practical strategies to grow your wealth.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subservient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subservient. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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