Synonym Chooser

How is the word slavish distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of slavish are obsequious, servile, and subservient. While all these words mean "showing or characterized by extreme compliance or abject obedience," slavish suggests abject or debased servility.

the slavish status of migrant farm workers

When is obsequious a more appropriate choice than slavish?

While in some cases nearly identical to slavish, obsequious implies fawning or sycophantic compliance and exaggerated deference of manner.

waiters who are obsequious in the presence of celebrities

When might servile be a better fit than slavish?

While the synonyms servile and slavish are close in meaning, servile suggests the mean or fawning behavior of a slave.

a political boss and his entourage of servile hangers-on

When can subservient be used instead of slavish?

The meanings of subservient and slavish largely overlap; however, subservient implies the cringing manner of one very conscious of a subordinate position.

domestic help was expected to be properly subservient

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 slavish Feud and American Horror Story creator Murphy purchased the Brown House in 2022 and set about renovating it and decorating it in an eclectic style that wasn’t slavish to its mid-century roots. Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 May 2024 But California’s governor was utterly slavish in the role of dutiful party soldier, repeatedly extolling Biden’s performance with a rat-a-tat of statistics — a Newsom hallmark — on falling inflation, rising employment and other favorable barometers. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023 After the script was poorly received by De Laurentiis, Herbert took one last stab at trying to pull it in a less lengthy/slavish direction. Max Evry, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 Nolan brings an impressive degree of historical accuracy to the film without resorting to a slavish recitation of facts, seeding it with oodles of throwaway details and characters as ornamental flourishes. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 25 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for slavish 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slavish
Adjective
  • Aziz rolled out a summer crime imitative in 2021, shortly after his tenure began.
    Jasmine Hilton, Washington Post, 30 July 2024
  • The Emory oak restoration imitative to preserve groves in the region recently marked its fifth anniversary, Peacey said.
    The Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024
Adjective
  • For years, car safety experts and everyday drivers have bemoaned the loss of the humble button.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Along with your keepsakes, bring a humble and curious mindset.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • His co-stars, like Will Ferrell’s savage Mugatu, Owen Wilson’s stoner hottie Hansel, and Nathan Lee Graham’s servile Todd — all so precise and well-defined in the original’s ravelike milieu — are doomed to retrace their old steps here.
    Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
  • These officials could, in turn, redistribute some of their private goods among their own servile lieutenants, but the monarch retained ultimate power to grant or revoke their privileged status.
    Serhiy Kudelia, Foreign Affairs, 27 Feb. 2014
Adjective
  • Perhaps that’s why the character feels so one-dimensional compared to the franchise’s previous antagonists — that and the script’s abject failure to involve Gina in the story’s emotional stakes.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Here is a region with the world’s highest population and the vulgar coexistence of unspeakable wealth as well as abject poverty.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • While the online consensus was that the gifts were redundant and of minimal practical value, the biggest argument was that there was no skincare, makeup or other actual formulaic products.
    Dahvi Shira, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
  • There, its formulaic approach to writing received a more mixed reception: A regimented education that prioritizes structure over creativity helps kids learn how to take tests, but not actually write, critical parents and teachers say.
    Megan Sauer, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near slavish

Cite this Entry

“Slavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slavish. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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