1
as in imitative
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model
slavish imitations of the great masters will never make you a painter in your own right
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humble
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness
the assistant's slavish agreement with his boss's every thought, no matter how half-baked
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slavish
Yet in Kim’s slavish dedication to the Jeju haenyeo’s testimony, many questions that arise in this setting are left unexplored.
—
Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024
By the beginning of 1956, some American communists openly blamed the poor state of their party on Moscow’s ideological inflexibility—and their own leaders’ slavish obedience to Soviet officials.
—Jeremy Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2024
But the final opening skates through Joan dunking her face in an ice bath, arriving at the studio, and then returning home to the slavish Carol Ann.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 29 June 2024
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s Democratic opponents have expressed horror at his slavish flattery of Putin but have failed to articulate a coherent Russia strategy of their own.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for slavish
Geoffrey Bunting, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2024
By the beginning of 1956, some American communists openly blamed the poor state of their party on Moscow’s ideological inflexibility—and their own leaders’ slavish obedience to Soviet officials.
—Jeremy Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2024
But the final opening skates through Joan dunking her face in an ice bath, arriving at the studio, and then returning home to the slavish Carol Ann.
—Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 29 June 2024
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s Democratic opponents have expressed horror at his slavish flattery of Putin but have failed to articulate a coherent Russia strategy of their own.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 11 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for slavish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slavish
Adjective
-
Nautilus is bold in its changes to Captain Nemo’s story — new monsters, new villains — but imitative to other genre series in execution, and the vibe is a little didactic.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 June 2025
-
The word was likely imitative of the deep humming sound male bees make.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
Both Dunn’s and Watt’s stories exemplify two former standout NFL players who reached the pinnacle of their professions yet never forgot their humble beginnings, continuing to remain empathetic and grounded.—
Mark LaSota,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
-
Moore doesn’t agree that Beshear needs to be bolder, or somehow less humble to attract a national following.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Bahrain is ruled by Sunnis and has a mostly Shiite population permanently restless over its servile condition.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
13 June 2025
-
His servile defense secretary has threatened to deploy the military in other cities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Marxism has been an abject failure when it’s been tried.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
-
But Zuckerberg isn’t the only one paying abject obeisance to the president.—
Max Taves,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
His films, often kitschy and formulaic, nonetheless became part of the cultural fabric for a generation who saw Hulk Hogan not just as a wrestling icon, but as a bona fide movie star.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
-
Like most great underdog stories, Rudy is sentimental and a bit formulaic.—
Sophie van Bastelaer,
EW.com,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slavish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slavish. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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