Subservient
adjective
Prepared to obey others without question.
He was always subservient to his manager.
adjective
Less important or secondary to something or someone else.
In most companies, the human resources department is subservient to the department of operations.
adjective
Serving or acting in a subordinate capacity.
All branches of the government were made subservient to the monarchy.
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Prepared to obey others without question.
He was always subservient to his manager.
adjective
Less important or secondary to something or someone else.
In most companies, the human resources department is subservient to the department of operations.
adjective
Serving or acting in a subordinate capacity.
All branches of the government were made subservient to the monarchy.
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Power Dynamics
Understand 'subservient' indicates lower status or less power, often willingly taken.
She played a subservient role, always yielding to her partner's demands.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Subservient' can feel negative, used to describe unfair or unvalued obedience.
The employees felt subservient, with no room to voice their opinions.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Just People
'Subservient' isn't only for people; it can describe entities or elements, too.
The marketing team's plan was subservient to the company's overall strategy.
Pro Tip 1/3Power Dynamics
Understand 'subservient' indicates lower status or less power, often willingly taken.
She played a subservient role, always yielding to her partner's demands.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Subservient' can feel negative, used to describe unfair or unvalued obedience.
The employees felt subservient, with no room to voice their opinions.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Just People
'Subservient' isn't only for people; it can describe entities or elements, too.
The marketing team's plan was subservient to the company's overall strategy.
Pro Tip 1/3Power Dynamics
Understand 'subservient' indicates lower status or less power, often willingly taken.
She played a subservient role, always yielding to her partner's demands.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Subservient' can feel negative, used to describe unfair or unvalued obedience.
The employees felt subservient, with no room to voice their opinions.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Just People
'Subservient' isn't only for people; it can describe entities or elements, too.
The marketing team's plan was subservient to the company's overall strategy.
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Video examples
Barry Sloane: Playing...
Hopkins your people and ours we need to make a common cause for a better life for all of it the challenge for me was to play the leader that he would become and to play against my my physicality to play against my usual casting type in that he would be subservient he would learn how to be a leader and then I just wanted to
Video examples
3 principles for...
Actually, no. This idea has been around for a while. Here's a "Even if we could keep the machines in a subservient position, for instance, by turning off the power at strategic moments" -- and I'll come back to that "turning off the power" idea later on -- "we should, as a species, feel greatly humbled."
Video examples
Why should you read "The...
The Handmaid's Tale imagines a future in which the conservative counter-movement gains the upper hand and not only demolishes the progress women had made toward equality, but makes women completely subservient to men. Gilead divides women in the regime into distinct social classes
Video examples
Jimmy Carter: Why I...
that women should play a secondary position, a subservient position to men. So they issued an edict, in effect, that prevents women from being priests, pastors, deacons in the church, or chaplains in the military, and if a woman teaches a classroom
Video examples
The myth of Prometheus -...
Zeus deemed humans subservient creatures vulnerable to the elements and dependent on the gods for protection. However, Prometheus envisioned his crude creations with a greater purpose. So when Zeus asked him to decide how sacrifices would be made,
Video examples
Fashion that celebrates...
In this way, the tools of the masters become masterworks to celebrate those who were once subservient. This metaphor extends beyond the realm of art and out into the real world. Whether worn by refugees or world-changing entrepreneurs,
Video examples
CIA Mind Control PIPE CIA...
intensifies the new goal is to cause an individual to become subservient to an imposed control to the point where he will perform acts against his will and then have no memory of the act the search for a real-life manchurian candidate
Video examples
The Aztecs: From Empire...
cortes shows up how what's the reaction at first is he welcomed are people afraid this was a fluid situation in which different city-states were either subservient to others or trying to overthrow the subservience and
Video examples
Genghis Khan’s Lost...
And he asked what should he do, right. What should he do? Should he live this like this life of being a subservient slave you know, his wife had just been stolen from him. Or should he fight back.
Video examples
Grizzly Bear Salmon...
away as this would be an invitation to attack backing away can signal to the bear that I'm subservient you have to present yourself as a non-threatening non-food item become and hold your
Video examples
Barry Sloane: Playing...
Hopkins your people and ours we need to make a common cause for a better life for all of it the challenge for me was to play the leader that he would become and to play against my my physicality to play against my usual casting type in that he would be subservient he would learn how to be a leader and then I just wanted to
Video examples
3 principles for...
Actually, no. This idea has been around for a while. Here's a "Even if we could keep the machines in a subservient position, for instance, by turning off the power at strategic moments" -- and I'll come back to that "turning off the power" idea later on -- "we should, as a species, feel greatly humbled."
Video examples
Why should you read "The...
The Handmaid's Tale imagines a future in which the conservative counter-movement gains the upper hand and not only demolishes the progress women had made toward equality, but makes women completely subservient to men. Gilead divides women in the regime into distinct social classes
Video examples
Jimmy Carter: Why I...
that women should play a secondary position, a subservient position to men. So they issued an edict, in effect, that prevents women from being priests, pastors, deacons in the church, or chaplains in the military, and if a woman teaches a classroom
Video examples
The myth of Prometheus -...
Zeus deemed humans subservient creatures vulnerable to the elements and dependent on the gods for protection. However, Prometheus envisioned his crude creations with a greater purpose. So when Zeus asked him to decide how sacrifices would be made,
Video examples
Fashion that celebrates...
In this way, the tools of the masters become masterworks to celebrate those who were once subservient. This metaphor extends beyond the realm of art and out into the real world. Whether worn by refugees or world-changing entrepreneurs,
Video examples
CIA Mind Control PIPE CIA...
intensifies the new goal is to cause an individual to become subservient to an imposed control to the point where he will perform acts against his will and then have no memory of the act the search for a real-life manchurian candidate
Video examples
The Aztecs: From Empire...
cortes shows up how what's the reaction at first is he welcomed are people afraid this was a fluid situation in which different city-states were either subservient to others or trying to overthrow the subservience and
Video examples
Genghis Khan’s Lost...
And he asked what should he do, right. What should he do? Should he live this like this life of being a subservient slave you know, his wife had just been stolen from him. Or should he fight back.
Video examples
Grizzly Bear Salmon...
away as this would be an invitation to attack backing away can signal to the bear that I'm subservient you have to present yourself as a non-threatening non-food item become and hold your
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Lorne Greene
Canadian Actor
The average American husband has relinquished his responsibility as head of his household. Though the wife is partly at fault, he is mostly to blame. I'm not suggesting that women should return to the subservient position before their emancipation when they were virtually slaves of their husbands. But freedom for women can be overdone.
Quote examples
Madhuri Dixit
Indian Actress
Women need to be empowered through the strongest tool - education. They don't need to be subservient to anyone, but at the same time, men must change their mindset towards women. If they are more respectful towards them, then things will change at the grassroots level. It will happen slowly, but everyone has to move together.
Quote examples
Sebastian Thrun
German Scientist
I have a really deep belief that we create technologies to empower ourselves. We've invented a lot of technology that just makes us all faster and better, and I'm generally a big fan of this. I just want to make sure that this technology stays subservient to people. People are the number one entity there is on this planet.
Quote examples
Supriya Pathak
For older actresses, the story is still the same. They are either subservient wives taking care of their husbands - like that typical age-old character of a woman, who serves her husband a hot cup of tea as soon as he comes home; or they are mothers dependent on their sons.
Quote examples
John Stuart Mill
English Philosopher
All action is for the sake of some end; and rules of action, it seems natural to suppose, must take their whole character and color from the end to which they are subservient.
Quote examples
Stephen Kinzer
American Author
Castro has lived almost his entire life as a clandestine revolutionary. To such figures, truth is always malleable, always subservient to political goals.
Quote examples
Mellody Hobson
American Businessman
There's nothing wrong with being help. But it's very wrong that we presume people of colour are in a subservient position. That's problematic.
Quote examples
Dutee Chand
Indian Athlete
Follow your heart, and don't be subservient to anyone. Shut out the world, and only listen to your heart to fulfill your dreams.
Quote examples
Neko Case
American Musician
I just really dig feeling subservient to nature. It brings me a peace and calm. Kind of like a Faustian thing, I think.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
Culture of the mind must be subservient to the heart.
Quote examples
Lorne Greene
Canadian Actor
The average American husband has relinquished his responsibility as head of his household. Though the wife is partly at fault, he is mostly to blame. I'm not suggesting that women should return to the subservient position before their emancipation when they were virtually slaves of their husbands. But freedom for women can be overdone.
Quote examples
Madhuri Dixit
Indian Actress
Women need to be empowered through the strongest tool - education. They don't need to be subservient to anyone, but at the same time, men must change their mindset towards women. If they are more respectful towards them, then things will change at the grassroots level. It will happen slowly, but everyone has to move together.
Quote examples
Sebastian Thrun
German Scientist
I have a really deep belief that we create technologies to empower ourselves. We've invented a lot of technology that just makes us all faster and better, and I'm generally a big fan of this. I just want to make sure that this technology stays subservient to people. People are the number one entity there is on this planet.
Quote examples
Supriya Pathak
For older actresses, the story is still the same. They are either subservient wives taking care of their husbands - like that typical age-old character of a woman, who serves her husband a hot cup of tea as soon as he comes home; or they are mothers dependent on their sons.
Quote examples
John Stuart Mill
English Philosopher
All action is for the sake of some end; and rules of action, it seems natural to suppose, must take their whole character and color from the end to which they are subservient.
Quote examples
Stephen Kinzer
American Author
Castro has lived almost his entire life as a clandestine revolutionary. To such figures, truth is always malleable, always subservient to political goals.
Quote examples
Mellody Hobson
American Businessman
There's nothing wrong with being help. But it's very wrong that we presume people of colour are in a subservient position. That's problematic.
Quote examples
Dutee Chand
Indian Athlete
Follow your heart, and don't be subservient to anyone. Shut out the world, and only listen to your heart to fulfill your dreams.
Quote examples
Neko Case
American Musician
I just really dig feeling subservient to nature. It brings me a peace and calm. Kind of like a Faustian thing, I think.
Quote examples
Mahatma Gandhi
Indian Leader
Culture of the mind must be subservient to the heart.
Example 1 of 10
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