Synonym Chooser

How does the verb manumit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of manumit are emancipate, free, liberate, and release. While all these words mean "to set loose from restraint or constraint," manumit implies emancipation from slavery.

the document manumitted the slaves

When would emancipate be a good substitute for manumit?

The words emancipate and manumit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, emancipate implies the liberation of a person from subjection or domination.

labor-saving devices emancipated us from household drudgery

Where would free be a reasonable alternative to manumit?

Although the words free and manumit have much in common, free implies a usually permanent removal from whatever binds, confines, entangles, or oppresses.

freed the animals from their cages

When is liberate a more appropriate choice than manumit?

The synonyms liberate and manumit are sometimes interchangeable, but liberate stresses particularly the resulting state of liberty.

liberated their country from the tyrant

In what contexts can release take the place of manumit?

The meanings of release and manumit largely overlap; however, release suggests a setting loose from confinement, restraint, or a state of pressure or tension, often without implication of permanent liberation.

released his anger on a punching bag

Examples 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 manumit Tubman’s father had been manumitted by his owner, but Brodess had inherited Tubman, hiring her and her siblings out to neighbors for seasonal work, whether trapping muskrats or clearing land. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024 Grant would manumit his one enslaved servant, William Jones, in 1859. Harold Holzer, WSJ, 1 Jan. 2024 In one county, not a single enslaved person was manumitted in 1859. John Reeves, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2023 No evidence exists to suggest Kirby Smith did manumit him. Cynthia Greenlee, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023 Some states, like the state of Georgia, passed expulsion laws that required blacks who were manumitted to leave the state within a year of their emancipation. Tera W. Hunter, The Root, 15 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for manumit
Verb
  • Where labor costs are high, even one self-checkout can free up a cashier for other important roles like stocking shelves or providing customer service; duties that, unlike checkouts, haven’t yet been automated.
    Mustafa Khanwala, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
  • Birmingham names new mayor as city settles deal with controversial senior tower More:Michigan teen tied to deputy's killing freed on $10K cash bail, igniting debate on reform Officials evacuated at least 15 of the condo units, Barnett said.
    Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Democrat Josh Harder is heading back to the U.S. House following his defeat of Republican Kevin Lincoln in California’s 9th Congressional District, according to election results released Friday.
    Jason Green, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024
  • The Los Angeles County registrar did not update results over the weekend — the last tally there was released at 5 p.m. on Friday — but Tran is leading there with 56.26% of the vote.
    Hanna Kang, Orange County Register, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Lacking the self-conscious grimness of Arrow that initially kept it away from four-color adventures, The Flash was immediately liberated to go full comic book, kickstarting the small-screen answer to the MCU.
    Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
  • When the Russians came in to liberate it, the Nazis didn’t have enough time to burn everything down.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The event celebrated and raised funds for the Vanderpump Dog Foundation’s efforts in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
  • Dwayne Johnson’s latest movie Red One, in which Johnson as an E.L.F. operative (?) rescues a swole Santa (??) played by J.K. Simmons (???), will not be added to this list of Best Christmas Action Movies.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Trump has insisted his tariffs would create jobs at home and emancipate the U.S. from being at the mercy of foreign manufacturing.
    Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Additionally, a few months before this vote, the War Department had opened enlistment to the enslaved Americans in the state, and emancipated those who did so.
    Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Millions were enfranchised when women got the vote in 1920, but Black women were mostly excluded from voting due to legal discrimination.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2024
  • Comprehensively enfranchising migrants as urban citizens could lead to severe backlash from the urban elites—the constituency with which the CCP most closely aligns.
    Damien Ma, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2015
Verb
  • Reaction time can save you from a collision and will reduce frequent or sudden breaking, which will lower your stress and that of the drivers behind you.
    Glen Koen, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
  • And many Americans have not saved enough money or do not have a large enough pension to provide sufficient retirement income on their own.
    Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 21 Nov. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near manumit

Cite this Entry

“Manumit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/manumit. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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