enslaved; enslaving; enslaves
: 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
Evan OsnosIt 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
Andrew HigginsThis 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
Minda Zetlin
enslavement
in-ˈslāv-mənt 
noun
en-
… the continued enslavement of millions of human beings after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
—Juan Cole
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
Matthew Stallard and Aamna Mohdin
Examples of enslave in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The main goals of these early gatherings were honoring the formerly enslaved and lifting African American people.
—Jessica B. Harris, Southern Living, 13 May 2024
Those Confederate leaders, Watson said, favored policies that kept Black people enslaved.
—Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024
Simon talks about trying to build a family while enslaved, Jesse simply wants to exercise his right to vote, and Rex brings up the traumas of their mutual childhood.
—Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
After his teacher’s death, Plato traveled to Italy, and while staying in Syracuse, on the coast of Sicily, the philosopher was captured and enslaved by the city’s ruler.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2024
By 1860, 66 percent of Montgomery’s population was enslaved, 23,710 people, a larger enslaved population than Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; and Natchez, Mississippi.
—Donovan X. Ramsey, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2024
At the same time, populations that had been colonized and enslaved were held up as posture paradigms for the élite to emulate: the American Posture League rewarded successful students with congratulatory pins that featured an image of an extremely upright Lenape man.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
By 1730, forty-two percent of White households in the city enslaved Black people — the second-largest percentage of household slave ownership, after Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States.
—Briana Ellis-Gibbs, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Beyoncé grew up in Texas, where country music has long mingled with styles from jazz to blues to hip-hop — and where, in fact, early cowboys were enslaved Black men.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Jessica B. Harris, Southern Living, 13 May 2024
Those Confederate leaders, Watson said, favored policies that kept Black people enslaved.
—Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 9 May 2024
Simon talks about trying to build a family while enslaved, Jesse simply wants to exercise his right to vote, and Rex brings up the traumas of their mutual childhood.
—Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
After his teacher’s death, Plato traveled to Italy, and while staying in Syracuse, on the coast of Sicily, the philosopher was captured and enslaved by the city’s ruler.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2024
By 1860, 66 percent of Montgomery’s population was enslaved, 23,710 people, a larger enslaved population than Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans; and Natchez, Mississippi.
—Donovan X. Ramsey, Rolling Stone, 14 Apr. 2024
At the same time, populations that had been colonized and enslaved were held up as posture paradigms for the élite to emulate: the American Posture League rewarded successful students with congratulatory pins that featured an image of an extremely upright Lenape man.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
By 1730, forty-two percent of White households in the city enslaved Black people — the second-largest percentage of household slave ownership, after Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States.
—Briana Ellis-Gibbs, CNN, 2 Apr. 2024
Beyoncé grew up in Texas, where country music has long mingled with styles from jazz to blues to hip-hop — and where, in fact, early cowboys were enslaved Black men.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Enslave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enslave. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
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