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Definitions

subservient

[suhb-sur-vee-uhnt] / səbˈsɜr vi ənt /
ADJECTIVE
extremely compliant
Synonyms
STRONGEST
deferential submissive
STRONG
compliant
WEAK
a slave to abject acquiescent at one's beck and call at one's mercy bootlicking cowering cringing docile fawning ignoble in one's clutches in one's pocket in one's power mean menial obeisant obsequious resigned servile slavish subject sycophantic under one's thumb
Antonyms
STRONGEST
disobedient
WEAK
controlling domineering unhelpful unnecessary useless
ADJECTIVE
secondary, useful
Synonyms
STRONGEST
inferior
WEAK
accessory adjuvant ancillary appurtenant auxiliary bush-league collateral conducive contributory helpful instrumental minor serviceable subordinate subsidiary supplemental supplementary
Antonyms
WEAK
controlling domineering unhelpful unnecessary useless

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Like Musharraf, he has a subservient prime minister and the authority to reshape the army's structure," he said.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

"He probably expects him to be more subservient than he is, so it was a great dynamic between the two of us."

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2025

Here is a legend who spent her life subservient to her art, unable to conjure the miracles that defined her existence.

From Salon • Sep. 28, 2024

This term has nothing to do with being a “mammy” or a “nanny” or a subservient caregiver.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2024

And Hale, White was convinced, had secretly forged an indirect channel to this fortune through his subservient nephew.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.