All the king's subjects, fearing his wrath, often acted quite servile.
Source: tatoeba (1987)
Servile
/ˈsəɹ.vəl/
Synonyms for "servile" (148 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (30)
abjectabusedacceptingacquiescentagreeableapple-polishingass-kissingassentingattendantattendingbasebootlickingbrowbeatenbrown-nosingclientcommoncomplaisantcompliablecompliantcomplying
Show 5 more words
Adjective(1 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Noun(1 words)
Strong matches (44)
demeaningdependentdespicabledisadvantageddowntroddowntroddenfawningfeudalfeudatoryflatteringground downgrovelinggrovellinghelpinghenpeckedhumbleignoblein leading stringsin the shadeinferior
Show 19 more words
Verb(2 words)
Noun(2 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (74)
nonopposingnonresistantnonresistingnonresistiveobedientobeisantobsequiousoilyon bended kneeoppressedordered aroundordinaryoverbornepassiveproneprostrateregimentedresignedscurvysecond rank
Show 41 more words
second stringsecondaryservingservitorialslavishslimysmarmysordidsubsubalternsubjectsubmissivesubordinatesubservientsupinesupplesycophanticsycophantishthird rankthird stringtoadishtoadyingtoadyishtrampledtributarytrucklingtyrannizeduglyunassertiveuncomplainingunctuousunderprivilegedunmannedunresistantunresistingvassalvilevulgarwaitingwheedlingwretched
Adjective(7 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abject, abject, abused, accepting, acquiescent.
- Sentence evidence is available for servile, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wiktionary, derived_reverse, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "servile".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "servile"
Keep "servile" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "servile" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "servile", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "servile" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
8 entriesCollocations
6 entriesservile attitudeservile behaviorservile complianceservile demeanorservile flatteryservile obedience
Inflections
2 entriesmore servilemost servile
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
10 entriesTranslations
38 translations across 19 languages.
Bulgarian
2 entries- раболепен adj (slavish or submissive)
- сервилен adj (slavish or submissive)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 低三下四 adj (slavish or submissive)
Finnish
3 entries- alamainen adj (slavish or submissive)
- orjallinen adj (slavish or submissive)
- orjamainen adj (slavish or submissive)
Galician
1 entries- servil adj (slavish or submissive)
German
4 entries- hündisch adj (slavish or submissive)
- servil adj (slavish or submissive)
- sklavisch adj (slavish or submissive)
- unterwürfig adj (slavish or submissive)
Greek
1 entries- δουλικός adj (slavish or submissive)
Irish
2 entries- moghach adj (slavish or submissive)
- uiríseal adj (slavish or submissive)
Italian
3 entries- adulatore adj (slavish or submissive)
- leccapiedi adj (slavish or submissive)
- servile adj (slavish or submissive)
Japanese
1 entries- 卑屈な adj (slavish or submissive)
Latin
3 entries- humilis adj (slavish or submissive)
- obnoxius adj (slavish or submissive)
- vernīlis adj (slavish or submissive)
Middle English
2 entries- serviable adj (slavish or submissive)
- servisable adj (slavish or submissive)
Old Armenian
1 entries- ցած adj (slavish or submissive)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- ذلیل adj (slavish or submissive)
Plautdietsch
1 entries- dommbleed adj (slavish or submissive)
Polish
3 entries- lokajski adj (slavish or submissive)
- niewolniczy adj (slavish or submissive)
- uniżony adj (slavish or submissive)
Portuguese
1 entries- servil adj (slavish or submissive)
Russian
3 entries- подобостра́стный adj (slavish or submissive)
- раболе́пный adj (slavish or submissive)
- холо́пский adj (slavish or submissive)
Spanish
1 entries- servil adj (slavish or submissive)
Swedish
4 entries- devot adj (slavish or submissive)
- fjäskig adj (slavish or submissive)
- servil adj (slavish or submissive)
- underdånig adj (slavish or submissive)
Sample sentences
8 total sentences available.
"Stop being servile, Tom." "Okay."
Source: tatoeba (12586070)
Tom is a servile man like Akaky Akakievich.
Source: tatoeba (12899612)
Servile people are dams of freedom.
Source: tatoeba (13416221)
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "servile"?
Closest matches include abject, abject, abused, accepting, acquiescent.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "servile"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.