Word
indenture
Phoneticsin·den·ture, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈdɛntʃɝ/
UK/ˌɪndˈɛntʃɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a formal written contract that requires one person to work for another for a fixed period of time. People in the past signed them to learn a trade or pay for travel to a new country.
n. a formal legal contract binding one party to work for another for a specified period, historically used for apprenticeship or debt repayment. Often executed as a deed with matching copies for each party.
Examples
“She signs an indenture to train as a baker for four years.”
“The museum holds an indenture from 1820 that bound a young apprentice to a shipbuilder for seven years.”
“Scholars studying colonial labour systems often cite the surviving indenture as proof that legal freedom could coexist with harsh, tightly controlled working conditions.”
Examples
simple
“She signs an indenture to train as a baker for four years.”
contextual
“The museum holds an indenture from 1820 that bound a young apprentice to a shipbuilder for seven years.”
complex
“Scholars studying colonial labour systems often cite the surviving indenture as proof that legal freedom could coexist with harsh, tightly controlled working conditions.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “indenture” in context.
Verb
01. enforce indenture
“Colonial courts routinely enforced indentures against runaway servants.”
verb + noun
02. enter into indenture
“Desperate for passage, she entered into an indenture with a tobacco planter.”
verb + prep + noun
03. indenture binds
“The indenture binds the servant to one master for the full term.”
noun + verb
04. indenture expires
“When his indenture expired, he received land and tools as freedom dues.”
noun + verb
05. indenture stipulates
“The indenture stipulates four years of labour in exchange for passage.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. binding indenture
“The apprentice could not leave the workshop under the binding indenture.”
adj + noun
07. colonial indenture
“Many Irish migrants crossed the Atlantic under a colonial indenture.”
adj + noun
08. formal indenture
“They signed a formal indenture before the voyage to Virginia.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. deed of indenture
“The archive holds the original deed of indenture from 1723.”
noun + prep + noun
10. bound by a formal indenture
“She was bound by a formal indenture to serve until age twenty-one.”
11. complete the term of indenture
“After completing the term of indenture, he opened his own workshop.”
12. enter into an indenture
“Many migrants entered into an indenture to pay for their Atlantic crossing.”
Real-World Examples
“Following the death of his father, young Reed was indentured at the age of 8 or 10 to a white farmer who treated him cruelly, binding him 'like a slave' and subjecting him to whippings.” Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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