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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in periodical
a publication that appears at regular intervals
the university library has a vast collection of serials
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of serial
Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Robert Graysmith, the real-life political cartoonist who attempted to decode the infamous serial killer's messages and went down numerous rabbit holes for years.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025
Struzan partnered with artist Charles White III for 20th Century Fox to create the old-fashioned one-sheet that perfectly captures the spirit of classic Saturday matinee serials.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serial
Adjective
That conversation led to an introduction to Lawrence Phillips, a serial entrepreneur who now serves as CEO of IQ121.
—Esha Chhabra, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Robert Graysmith, the real-life political cartoonist who attempted to decode the infamous serial killer's messages and went down numerous rabbit holes for years.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
Lillard is perhaps known for portraying Stu Macher — one-half of the horror-obsessive-turned-serial-killing duo, alongside Skeet Ulrich’s Billy Loomis — in the 1996 original, which has since spawned a decades-long franchise.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025
Struzan partnered with artist Charles White III for 20th Century Fox to create the old-fashioned one-sheet that perfectly captures the spirit of classic Saturday matinee serials.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serial
Adjective
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That's just the way that the escalating serialized drama has to be built.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
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Each set comes with a serialized Certificate of Authenticity and the final lot, set number 232, also comes with the three original dies used to strike the coins.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The periodical, which began in 1818 in Maine, has long covered a wide variety of topics, including long-range weather forecasts, moon phases and astronomy, gardening advice, recipes, and practical advice.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
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Designate a place near the entryway for all mail, periodicals, and paper forms.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The injection allegations were first reported by the German newspaper Bild last month.—
Peter Sblendorio,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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On Wednesday, the Washington Post laid off one-third of its staff, eliminating its sports section, several foreign bureaus and its books coverage in a widespread purge at the storied newspaper owned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.—
Matt Ott,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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The study, which was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, had several limitations, the researchers acknowledged.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Torenberg said her book follows a woman who livestreams her life to raise money for the healthcare costs of her comatose sister.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Open like a book to create 1 large, thin cutlet.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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After National Guardsmen shot and killed four unarmed students at Kent State on May 4, 1970, Neil Young saw a Life magazine photo of a teenage girl screaming over one of the bodies and immediately wrote this song.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
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Her recovery started seven months later with an emotional first-person account of her fall in People magazine.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Serial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serial. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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