indentured
Bound by contract
Indentured describes someone bound by a contract to work for another person, typically for a set number of years.
An indentured servant exchanged labor for passage to a new country, training, or payment of debts.
The term comes from the contract itself—historically torn in a jagged line so both halves could be matched to prove authenticity.
Today indentured suggests forced or exploitative labor arrangements: workers held in conditions of indentured servitude.
Compulsory labor under masters
- colonialOf occupied territories
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
- bondageInvoluntary subjugation to another
- emigrationLeaving homeland permanently
passage · transatlantic · Virginia · Jamestown · tobacco · Caribbean · sugar · British
One employed to serve
- apprenticeLearner bound to employer
- bondsmanOne who posts bail
- workerPerson who toils
- laborerPhysical task performer
craftsman · journeyman · artisan · master · trade · skill · training · guild
Enforceable written agreement
- agreementShared position between parties
- deedWritten property conveyance
- covenantBinding formal pledge
- bondBinding tie or connection
obligation · terms · clause · stipulation · provision · tenure · signatory · notarized
Made to occur unwillingly
- boundSecured or destined
- obligatedRequired by duty
- constrainedForced into narrow limits
- compelledMade to act
entrapped · exploited · conscripted · bonded · debt · unfree · involuntary · trapped
servitude
Compulsory labor under masters
- colonialOf occupied territories
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
- bondageInvoluntary subjugation to another
emigration · passage · transatlantic · Virginia · Jamestown · tobacco · Caribbean · sugar · British · settlers
servant
One employed to serve
- apprenticeLearner bound to employer
- bondsmanOne who posts bail
- workerPerson who toils
laborer · craftsman · journeyman · artisan · master · trade · skill · training · guild · domestic
contract
Enforceable written agreement
- agreementShared position between parties
- deedWritten property conveyance
- covenantBinding formal pledge
bond · obligation · terms · clause · stipulation · provision · tenure · signatory · notarized · binding
forced
Made to occur unwillingly
- boundSecured or destined
- obligatedRequired by duty
- constrainedForced into narrow limits
compelled · entrapped · exploited · conscripted · bonded · debt · unfree · involuntary · trapped · restricted
- social ranksking, queen, emperor, empress, noble
- Anglo-Indiansahib, memsahib, wallah, pukka, raj
- exploitationexploit, predatory, sex trafficking, take advantage, human trafficking
- slaverychattel slavery, enslaved, slave, enslavement, slave traders
- captivitycaptive, prisoner, detained, imprisoned, incarcerated
- necessitiesbasics, essentials, need, essential, needs
indenturedfree
Without payment or restriction
liberated · emancipated · autonomous · independent · unencumbered
indenturedunbound
Not tied down
uncommitted · unobligated · at-will · freelance · uncontracted
- indentured servitudeContractual unfree labor for term
- indentured servantContract-bound unpaid laborer
- indentured laborWork obligation bound by contract
- indentured laborersWorkers bound by contract
- bond indentureContract governing debt securities
- indentured serviceContracted work obligation
indenture, indentures, indenturing, indentured servant, indentured servants