serf

noun

Definition of serfnext
as in slave
a person in the past who belonged to a low social class and who lived and worked on land owned by another person Medieval serfs who tended land owned by a lord.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for serf
  1. slave
  2. servant
Noun
  • Black public figures mingle with slave forts and the most vaunted creations of high art.
    — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Also a list of the true names and addresses of all former slaves, along with their actual occupations and 1858 yearly incomes, which, surprising no one, were right on par with the incomes of similar whites.
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of slave
Noun
  • Particularly for a character like this, who is literally a servant and has to exist in the hollows created by other people in that world — that’s a very useful tool for me as an actor.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Screen vet Leguizamo most recently played Eumaeus, Odysseus’ faithful servant and friend, in Christopher Nolan and Universal’s box office juggernaut The Odyssey.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of servant
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.

Browse Nearby Words

serenity
serf
serfdom
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Cite this Entry

“Serf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serf. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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