serve out

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
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.
The November special election will be to serve out the remaining two years of Vance's Senate term, and its winner will face another election in 2028. Liz Goodwin The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2026 To help with portion control, try taking a serving out of the package and putting the rest away. Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 13 May 2026 Also in the running is Larry Cohen, a Democrat and longtime congressional aide whom the Board of Supervisors appointed last year to serve out the rest of McAllister’s term. Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026 Sinner got the key break with a backhand winner down the line for a 5-4 lead before serving out the match against the Frenchman. ABC News, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for serve out

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serve out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve%20out. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster