Definition

Noun: 1. The state of being under the control of another person; bondage, servitude. It describes a condition of complete subjugation, where one's freedom and autonomy are entirely owned or dominated by another.

Usage

The word "thralldom" is a formal and somewhat literary term. It is used to describe a state of extreme subjugation or lack of freedom. It can refer to literal, physical enslavement or to a powerful metaphorical bondage (e.g., to an addiction, a habit, or a powerful emotion).

Examples

• The historical records detailed the thralldom of captured peoples.
• He felt a sense of thralldom to his demanding job, which consumed all his time and energy.
• She struggled to break free from the thralldom of her fears.

Advanced Usage

• "In thralldom to": This prepositional phrase is commonly used to specify the person, force, or thing that exercises control.
  • The nation lived in thralldom to a tyrannical ruler for decades.
  • He was in thralldom to his own ambition.

Variants and Related Words

• Thrall (noun): A person who is in a state of thralldom; a slave or bondman. It can also mean the state itself, though "thralldom" is more specific for the condition.
  • He was a thrall to the king.
  • She held him in thrall with her stories.
• Enthrall (verb): To captivate or charm, holding someone's complete attention. It derives from the idea of capturing someone as a thrall.
  • The magician's performance enthralled the audience.

Synonyms

• Bondage: The state of being a slave.
• Servitude: The condition of being a slave or being completely subject to someone more powerful.
• Subjugation: The action of bringing someone or something under domination or control.
• Enslavement: The state of being made a slave.

Antonyms

• Freedom
• Liberty
• Autonomy
• Independence

Related Idioms/Phrases

• To hold someone in thrall: To have someone completely captivated or dominated, either literally or figuratively.
  • The mysterious stranger held the entire room in thrall.

Noun

1. the state of being under the control of another person