bondage
gb/bˈɑndɪd͡ʒ/ us/bˈɑndɪd͡ʒ/
B2
English
~ 2200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
slavery or forced servitude
When someone is not free and is made to work for another person without pay, especially as a slave.
Usage pattern:
in [someone's] bondage
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bondage' with 'bonding', but they have very different meanings.
Synonyms
slavery (More common in general use; directly refers to owning people as property.)
|
servitude (More formal and can refer to both voluntary and forced service.)
Antonyms
freedom (The opposite state of being free and not under control.)
|
liberty (Similar to freedom, often used in political or legal contexts.)
Collocations
in bondage
|escape bondage
|held in bondage
|bondage and slavery
Themes
history
|human_rights
|society
|law
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The captives lived in bondage for many years before they were freed.
- Many people fought to end the bondage of enslaved workers.
- The novel tells the story of a man’s life in bondage on a plantation.
Learner examples
- The man was in bondage for ten years.
- They escaped from bondage during the war.
- Bondage means a person is not free.
Noun
informal
C1
action
2
sexual tying or restraining
A sexual activity where one person ties up or holds another person so they cannot move.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this meaning is sexual and should be used carefully in conversation.
Synonyms
restraint play (Used in sexual contexts to describe consensual tying or holding.)
Collocations
BDSM bondage
|practice bondage
|bondage gear
|bondage scene
Themes
sexuality
|relationships
|health
Examples
- They explored light bondage as part of their relationship.
- The shop sells various bondage accessories and costumes.
- Bondage can involve ropes, cuffs, or other restraints.
Learner examples
- Some couples enjoy bondage as part of sex.
- Bondage uses things like ropes or handcuffs.
- Bondage must be safe and agreed by both people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bondage
IPA
GB/bˈɑndɪd͡ʒ/
US/bˈɑndɪd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
bond - age (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (bond)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bondage
- Plural: bondage
Word family
Core family
bond
noun B1
Related words
bonding
noun
binding
adjective
Expressions
in bondage
1/ˈɪn bˈɑndɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
not free; enslaved
Not free because someone controls you.
Examples
- The prisoners remained in bondage until the war ended.
- Many historical records show people living in bondage.