What does "bondage" mean?
The state of being enslaved or the practice of slavery.
Bondage
/ˈbɒn.dɪd͡ʒ/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state of being enslaved or the practice of slavery.
- Grammar: bondage is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: slavery, absolutism, binding, bond service.
- Useful contrasts: italian indipendenza, norwegian frihet, swedish frihet.
- Usage evidence: He liberated the people from bondage.
How to use "bondage"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bondage" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bondage" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bondage" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bondage" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bondage" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "slavery" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bondage", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The state of being enslaved or the practice of slavery. countable, uncountable
"debt bondage"
- 2 sexual practice that involves physically restraining (by cords or handcuffs) one of the partners wordnet
- 3 The state of lacking freedom; constraint. broadly, countable, uncountable
"He lived in financial bondage to his cocaine habit; no matter how much he earned, it all seemed to disappear up his nose."
- 4 the state of being under the control of another person wordnet
- 5 The practice of physically restraining people for sexual pleasure, such as by tying up or shackling. countable, uncountable
"Their marriage broke up when she discovered he had been engaging in bondage games with a local dominatrix while he was supposedly working out at the gym."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 the state of being under the control of a force or influence or abstract power wordnet
- 7 Applied to clothing with many buckles, zips, etc., associated with punk and goth subcultures. attributive, countable, uncountable
"bondage trousers; bondage jeans; bondage pants"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He liberated the people from bondage."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bondage"?
Common synonyms include: slavery, absolutism, binding, bond service, bondage play, captivity.
How do you use "bondage" in a sentence?
He liberated the people from bondage.
How do you pronounce "bondage"?
Pronounced /ˈbɒn.dɪd͡ʒ/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English bondage (“serfdom”), from British Medieval Latin bondagium (“an inferior tenure held by a bond or husbandman”), from Middle English bond (“tenant farmer, serf”), from Old English bonda (“householder, husband, head of a family”), of Old Norse origin. Sense development influenced by the unrelated terms bond and bind.