serial 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsir-ē-əl How to pronounce serial (audio)
Definition of serialnext
as in serialized
appearing in parts or numbers that follow regularly "Uncle Tom's Cabin" first appeared as a serial novel from 1851 to 1852

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serial

2 of 2

noun

as in periodical
a publication that appears at regular intervals the university library has a vast collection of serials

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of serial
Adjective
The area remains on high alert while authorities investigate whether a serial killer or killers are responsible. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 Jean Smart, Lily Rabe, and Peyton List have also portrayed the serial killer. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
While only the first two episodes managed to survive the original live broadcast, the serial still went on to have a huge impact on science fiction. — William Worrall, Space.com, 15 July 2026 Also in 1964, Pettet appeared on an episode of ABC’s Route 66 and began a stint as a nurse on the NBC daytime serial The Doctors. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for serial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serial
  1. serialized
  2. periodical
  3. newspaper
  4. journal
  5. book
  6. magazine
Adjective
  • Latin America brings its own long history of serialized television drama, rooted in telenovelas that have been produced across the region since the 1950s and have traveled widely across borders.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Star Trek wasn’t heavily serialized — few shows were back then — but airing this episode first has the effect of dropping viewers into the show with little beyond William Shatner‘s opening credits narration to set the scene.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of serialized
Noun
  • Operating for nearly a century, Algani began in 1927 as a modest seller of newspapers, periodicals, and postcards before evolving into one of the city’s first international newsstands.
    — Eleonora Giordani, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • People who might be lucky to have a roof over their heads gathered there to read American books and periodicals, watch American movies, listen to lectures about America, tap their toes to jazz from America.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of periodical
Noun
  • The poll found his approval had declined by 5 points since the newspaper’s previous surveys in four of the states in June.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The British newspaper are co-producers of the movie, which is directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of newspaper
Noun
  • Our findings, published in the journal Menopause, reveal a major gap in how clinicians capture basic information about women’s health.
    — Audrey Hendricks, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In the final frame, Verney writes in his journal the wild hope that there may still be other survivors on the planet, perhaps safe on some island in the South Indian Ocean.
    — Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of journal
Noun
  • There's a fittingly witchy gift shop filled with all sorts of tchotchkes and collectibles, including spell books, tarot cards, cups for reading tea leaves, and a selection of history books.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Brower and her partner, Aspen Simone, dug into books about pigeon behavior and their history with humans.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of book
Noun
  • The shoppable magazine features QR codes that customers can utilize to shop directly on Revolve and Fwrd’s websites and apps.
    — Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Her essays have been featured in the New Yorker, the New York Times magazine, the Paris Review, and Jezebel.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of magazine

Browse Nearby Words

sergeants
serial
serialize
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Cite this Entry

“Serial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serial. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on serial

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about serial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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