What does subservient mean?
Word: Subservient
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Subservient means too willing to obey others and to put their wishes above your own.
Synonyms: submissive, servile
Antonyms: independent
How do you spell subservient?
Syllables: sub - ser - vi - ent
Tricky part: The ending trips people up: a quick i slips in before ent, and writers often lose it or turn it into an a.
Watch out for: subservent, subserviant, subservint
Memory tip: Give that i a beat of its own when you say the word aloud, and it cannot vanish from the ending.
Subservient in a sentence
Example 1: The shy clerk's subservient manner made him agree to every request.
Example 2: A good team has no room for subservient members who never speak up.
Example 3: In the play, the butler stays subservient until the closing scene, when he at last speaks his mind.
Fun Fact
Not only people can be subservient. In formal writing, one aim can be subservient to another, which means it counts for less: a town planner might say that car parking is subservient to safety.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
During the long debate at the youth parliament, one speaker warned that a free press must never become subsirvient to those who hold power in the capital.
a) capital
b) speaker
c) subsirvient
d) parliament
Show answer
c) subsirvient. The middle of the word has er, the same vowel sound as in nerve.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
The young prince was tired of courtiers who stayed betsnuirves and never offered an honest opinion.
a) subservient
b) subsequent
c) substantial
d) suburban
Show answer
a) subservient. Only subservient has a v among its letters, and it fits people who never disagree.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word subservient as used in the sentence:
Not wishing to seem subservient, Anjali politely told the manager that she disagreed with his plan.
a) meek
b) humble
c) docile
d) assertive
Show answer
d) assertive. An assertive person states her own views firmly instead of going along with everyone.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. ubiquitous 2. subservient 3. gregarious 4. prestigous
a) always giving way to those in charge
b) respected and admired by many
c) fond of the company of others
d) found almost everywhere you go
Show answer
b) respected and admired by many. Prestigious keeps an i before the ous, so the spelling in the list falls short by one letter.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which remark sounds most like a subservient employee?
a) Whatever you say, sir; you are always right.
b) Let me show you the figures I have checked.
c) I would like a day off next Tuesday, please.
d) I think there is a better way of doing this.
Show answer
a) Whatever you say, sir; you are always right.
2. What is a subservient person least likely to do?
a) openly disagree with a powerful boss
b) follow an order without a question
c) wait to be told what to do next
d) nod along with every decision made
Show answer
a) openly disagree with a powerful boss
