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

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His tennis was clear and precise in the tightest moments, earning a break in the ninth game of the second set before serving out the win. James Hansen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 This provision is for the case of a vice president who serves out the majority of a four-year term following a president's death or resignation. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025 Manchester is in Central Prison in Raleigh serving out the rest of his original 35-year sentence (for his Gaston County crimes). Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2025 Rader is still alive and serving out his 10 consecutive life sentences at Kansas' El Dorado Correctional Facility. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serve out

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Cite this Entry

“Serve out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve%20out. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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