Meaning & use
indentured
Last updated
Bound by a legal contract to work for another person for a fixed period, often in exchange for travel, training, or debt repayment.
See it in a sentence
Many early colonists arrived as indentured servants who worked for years to pay off their passage.
The apprentice was indentured to the blacksmith for seven years.
A note on using this word
Indentured servitude was historically distinct from slavery in that it was based on a contract with a set end date, though conditions were often harsh and coercive.
Words with a similar meaning
bondedcontracted
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Words with an opposite meaning
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