serviceable

adjective ser·vice·able \ ˈsər-və-sə-bəl \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of serviceable

1 :helpful, useful

2 :fit for use

a serviceable design

; also :of adequate quality

her serviceable but not exceptional voice
—Irving Kolodin

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serviceability

play \ˌsər-və-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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serviceableness

play \ˈsər-və-sə-bəl-nəs\ noun

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serviceably

play \ˈsər-və-sə-blē\ adverb

See serviceable defined for English-language learners

See serviceable defined for kids

Examples of serviceable in a Sentence

I bought an old but still serviceable bicycle.
be sure to wear serviceable shoes if you're going to be walking on the rocks along the shore

Recent Examples of serviceable from the Web

Malik Hooker – to return to the field, veteran Matthias Farley has done a serviceable job in his stead.

— zak keefer, Indianapolis Star, "Insider: Has Colts receiver Phillip Dorsett done enough to keep his job?," 27 Aug. 2017
But there were a few celebrity appearances this week that were serviceable enough.

— cara kelly, USA TODAY, "Win or weak? Kelsea Ballerini, Kate Upton and the week in celebrity fashion," 25 Aug. 2017
From leaky toilets in a former subterranean office near Portland State to cramped quarters in a creaky building on Broadway, Elemental's digs were serviceable - and little more than that.

— mike rogoway, OregonLive.com, "Amazon's new Portland office is a big upgrade, but don't call it fancy," 24 Aug. 2017
Another point that sometimes gets glossed over in reviews is that the Galago Pro is very user serviceable.

— scott gilbertson, Ars Technica, "Review: System76’s Galago Pro solves “just works” Linux’s Goldilocks problem," 16 Aug. 2017
First-rounder Andrus Peat likely will start at left guard for the second consecutive season, going from talk of being a bust to at least being serviceable.

— larry holder, NOLA.com, "Judgment day coming for Saints' 2015 draft class, and so far reviews are mixed," 1 Aug. 2017
O'Donnell, entering his fourth season, is established as a serviceable, if not standout punter.

— rich campbell, chicagotribune.com, "Bears special teams plotting for many happy returns in 2017," 21 July 2017
Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found.

— joey morona, cleveland.com, "Movie Minute: Christopher Nolan's 'Dunkirk' leads trio of new releases," 20 July 2017
Mike Fiers and Charlie Morton are serviceable at the back of the rotation, but an upgrade is in order.

— SI.com, "The Astros will trade for Sonny Gray," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'serviceable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Someone who speaks serviceable Spanish isn't fluent in it but gets by pretty well. A serviceable jacket is practical and maybe even rugged. But serviceable sometimes damns with faint praise. A serviceable performance is all right but not inspired. Serviceable curtains aren't the ideal color or pattern, but they serve their purpose. A serviceable pair of shoes is sturdy but won't win you any fashion points.