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
… the continued enslavement of millions of human beings after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Juan Cole
sexual/economic enslavement
enslaver noun
plural enslavers
British goods were shipped to Africa to be exchanged for enslaved captives, who were sold to enslavers in British colonies … Matthew Stallard and Aamna Mohdin

Examples of enslave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Perhaps no one epitomizes that like Mary Church Terrell, who was born just nine months after the Emancipation Proclamation to parents who had been enslaved. CBS News, 6 June 2024 Beginning with his occupation of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia in 1938, followed by his invasion of Poland in September 1939, Hitler had enslaved almost all of continental Europe, imposing tyranny and mass death, including the Holocaust deaths of 6 million Jews. The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 6 June 2024 The museum features quilts made by her great-great-grandmother, who had been enslaved and passed the craft down to later generations. Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 24 May 2024 This occurred 11 days after the end of the Civil War and two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that freed those enslaved in southern states. Camellia Burris, Miami Herald, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for enslave 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enslave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 10 Jun. 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
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