Servility: meaning, definitions and examples

Often used to describe an excessive willingness to serve or please others, typically implying a lack of self-respect or dignity.

• His servility made him an easy target for manipulation.
• She was accused of servility in the workplace, always bending over backward to please her boss.

Describes a willingness to obey others unquestioningly, often suggesting a lower or dependent status, and can carry a negative connotation.

• Her subservience in the relationship made her lose her own identity.
• The manager’s subservience to the company's demands was noticeable.

Implies excessive eagerness to serve or please to the point of being insincere or sycophantic, often carrying a negative connotation.

• His obsequiousness towards his superiors was both obvious and off-putting.
• She grew tired of his constant obsequiousness, feeling it was just a facade.

Appropriate in situations where someone shows polite respect and submission to the wishes or judgement of another, often out of respect for their higher status or experience.

• He showed deference to the elderly by giving them his seat.
• Out of deference to her experience, they considered her opinion carefully.

Use this word when describing a person's excessive willingness to serve or please others, often at the expense of their own dignity. It can imply a lack of self-respect.

• He showed servility in his eagerness to carry out every single order without question.
• Her servility made her colleagues uncomfortable, as she never stood up for herself.

This term is often used to describe a state of being physically restrained or in a condition similar to slavery. It also refers to a lack of freedom or being bound by an obligation.

• He spent years in bondage before managing to escape.
• The workers felt like they were in bondage due to the unfair labor practices.

Use this word when discussing the act of bringing someone under control or domination, often by force. It can also refer to being under the authority or control of someone else.

• The military campaign led to the subjection of the conquered territory.
• The new policy resulted in the subjection of many workers to harsh working conditions.

This word is best used when referring to the act of making someone a slave or the state of being a slave. It carries a very negative connotation and implies severe oppression.

• The movie depicted the brutal enslavement of indigenous people by colonizers.
• Her fear of emotional enslavement kept her from committing to any relationship.