What does enslave mean?
Enslave is a transitive verb meaning to reduce a person to slavery — to strip them of freedom and treat them as the property or instrument of another. Its literal use describes one of history's gravest crimes: empires and economies have enslaved millions through conquest, trafficking, and forced labor. Beyond this literal meaning, the verb extends figuratively to any form of domination so complete that it abolishes autonomy: a person may be enslaved by addiction, debt, fear, ideology, or even a device they cannot stop checking. The word derives from 'slave,' which entered English from Old French and ultimately traces to 'Slav,' reflecting the enslavement of Slavic peoples in medieval Europe. Because of this weighty history, enslave is a formal, morally charged word — powerful when used precisely about real oppression or genuine loss of self-control, but jarring when applied casually to minor frustrations.
verbTo make someone a slave; to reduce a person to a state of servitude in which they are legally or practically owned by another. More broadly, to dominate or control someone so completely that they lose their freedom of thought, action, or will.
- To make a slave of someone; to hold a person in bondage or servitude.
- To dominate or captivate someone's mind or attention so completely that they lose autonomy or free thought (figurative).
"The empire enslaved millions of people across its colonies to fuel its economy."
"The traffickers enslaved dozens of workers on remote fishing vessels."
"He refused to let fear enslave his decisions."
The word 'slave' itself traces back to 'Slav' — so many Slavic people were captured and sold into bondage in medieval Europe that their ethnic name became the word for unfree labor across European languages.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enslave
Enslave was formed in English in the late sixteenth century by adding the prefix 'en-' ('to make, put into') to the noun 'slave.' 'Slave' itself came into Middle English via Old French 'esclave,' from Medieval Latin 'Sclavus,' originally referring to Slavic peoples of Central and Eastern Europe, many of whom were captured and sold into bondage during the medieval period. Cognates appear across Romance languages, such as French 'esclavage' (slavery), reflecting this shared origin. The figurative sense of mental or moral domination developed later, extending the literal notion of physical bondage to states of mind and habit.
Related word forms
How enslave is actually used
Formal to literary in register. The literal sense refers to historical and contemporary slavery and carries strong moral gravity; it should not be used lightly or hyperbolically about ordinary inconvenience. The figurative sense (e.g., being enslaved to an idea, addiction, or technology) is common but still evokes loss of agency. In modern usage, 'enslaved people' is generally preferred over 'slaves' in careful writing.
Easily confused with enslave
Despite a similar opening sound, 'engage' means to participate in or hire, while 'enslave' means to force into bondage.