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
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Recent Examples of servile
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).
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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
Responding to her questionnaire, Cyril Connolly, the editor of Horizon magazine, pointed out that the aggressive aims of fascist states required a populace that was ‘rendered both warlike and servile’ – the ‘stultifying’, in other words, ‘of the human race’.
—Sarah Watling, Time, 13 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for servile 
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
Responding to her questionnaire, Cyril Connolly, the editor of Horizon magazine, pointed out that the aggressive aims of fascist states required a populace that was ‘rendered both warlike and servile’ – the ‘stultifying’, in other words, ‘of the human race’.
—Sarah Watling, Time, 13 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for servile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for servile
Adjective
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With a full trailer stacked with 40 storage bins and five bicycles, Blair's operation has come a long way since its humble beginnings.Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024
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Turkey and the Wolf Named America’s Best New Restaurant by Bon Appetit in 2017, this humble sandwich shop continues to live up to its accolades.Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Gary starts the film as a meek, somewhat nerdy college professor, but circumstances quickly force him into the uncomfortable position of becoming an undercover police informant.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
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Premature predictions of renewal would be foolish and, as Howe continually stressed, Newcastle cannot allow one strong outing to be followed by another meek one.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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To believe otherwise is to believe a nation not far removed from abject poverty is somehow dense with investors eager to not just put wealth to work, but put wealth to work in ventures set to fail with 90 percent regularity.John Tamny, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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Under these pretenses, Wrapped is an abject failure, a cheap magic trick that momentarily distracts you from the gun being held to the back of your head.Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Despite their training and education, they were often assigned menial tasks.Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
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The unchecked implementation of technology in daily menial tasks is just as big of a specter here.Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near servile
Cite this Entry
“Servile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/servile. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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