serve out
phrasal verb
served out; serving out; serves out
: to complete (a term in office, a prison sentence, etc.)
He was unable to serve out his five-year term as chairperson.
She was allowed to serve out her sentence in a prison close to home.
Examples of serve out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Maxwell is currently behind bars, serving out her 20-year sentence.
—
Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
The acting mayor will then serve out the remainder of Clark’s term, which is set to expire in April 2027.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Elizabeth Holmes, the infamous founder of Theranos who is currently serving out a more than 11-year prison sentence in Texas, re-entered the zeitgeist this past fall—in September to be exact.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Mboko failed to serve out the second set against Tauson Friday, before winning in three sets.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serve out
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
The acting mayor will then serve out the remainder of Clark’s term, which is set to expire in April 2027.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Elizabeth Holmes, the infamous founder of Theranos who is currently serving out a more than 11-year prison sentence in Texas, re-entered the zeitgeist this past fall—in September to be exact.
—Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026
Mboko failed to serve out the second set against Tauson Friday, before winning in three sets.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for serve out
Cite this Entry
“Serve out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve%20out. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
