adj
subservient
Subservient (adj) means Excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree. Example: “He was criticized for being subservient to his boss's every whim.”
adj
1
Excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree.
"He was criticized for being subservient to his boss's every whim."
2
Serving a secondary or supporting purpose to something else.
"In this arrangement, personal interests are subservient to the group's goals."
How to use subservient
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBeing overly obedient, or existing to support something more important.
Common pairings
subservient to
blindly subservient
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Word forms
- Plural
- subservients
- Comparative
- more subservient
- Superlative
- most subservient
Fill the gap
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He was criticized for being _____ to his boss's every whim.
Etymology
From Latin subserviens, present participle of subservio, "to serve under."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for subservient
See all rhymes for subservient →Frequently asked questions
What does “subservient” mean?
The word “subservient” means excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree. In plain terms, being overly obedient, or existing to support something more important.
How do you use “subservient” in a sentence?
Here is “subservient” used in a sentence: “He was criticized for being subservient to his boss's every whim.”
What part of speech is “subservient”?
“Subservient” is an adjective.
Where does the word “subservient” come from?
The word “subservient” comes from Latin. From Latin subserviens, present participle of subservio, "to serve under.".
How many meanings does “subservient” have?
“Subservient” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: excessively willing to obey or serve others, often to an unhealthy degree.
