serve

Definition of servenext
1
as in to attend
to be a servant for he served his master faithfully for 20 years

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2
as in to suffice
to be enough they made the pasta serve for eight guests

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3
as in to do
to be fitting or proper those old riding boots will serve for now, but you'll need newer ones for the horse show

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to treat
to behave toward in a stated way my parents served me well in preparing me for life

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5
as in to act
to have a certain purpose the harsh punishment served to teach everyone a lesson

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6
as in to benefit
to provide with something useful or desirable an excellent college that served her with the skills necessary to make it in today's job market

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 serve Hoffman later served a federal prison sentence for his convictions in a Louisiana film tax credit fraud case. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026 Alexander later served as an 18-year senator from Tennessee. Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 June 2026 Early in his career, Shalit worked on the other side of the media industry, serving as press agent for Dick Clark. Wendy Naugle, USA Today, 13 June 2026 Testers served themselves and tasted each cottage cheese. Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for serve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serve
Verb
  • Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that students who live in low-income neighborhoods and attend schools with higher proportions of students of color receive less recess time and lower quality recess.
    Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • As Dolan noted, that includes a date for the trip, the size of the traveling party and how many players will attend.
    Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • In 2009 mathematicians Hemanshu Kaul and YoungJu Jo, both then at the Illinois Institute of Technology, proved that 10 guards or cameras would suffice in this case.
    Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026
  • Boards that assume future action will suffice are misreading the timing.
    Maman Ibrahim, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Events already relocating elsewhere Davis said the delay has already forced nine events to move and could push as many as 30 more to do the same in 2030.
    Dawn White, CBS News, 19 June 2026
  • It’s meant to go with the flow of kids’ pacing, which may mean spending a whole hour at a splash pad or being done after just a few experiences.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Interest in kratom surged in the last couple of years as users have reported consuming the compound in the form of a pill, powder or tea to treat various ailments.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • Families with young children could ride all the rides, see the shows and meet multiple characters in a day, if lines aren’t too long, but the park isn’t meant to be treated like a checklist.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Electricity in the air Before Saturday night’s game, New York was already acting like a city possessed, with the signs of anticipation and excitement impossible to miss.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Among that throng of people is Bret Johnsen, who has served as the company’s only chief financial officer and acted as the quiet architect behind the largest IPO in history.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • Science would benefit from less hyperspecialization.
    Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 16 June 2026
  • Supported by hundreds of contributors, Freedom Needs a Soundtrack will be released without advertising, with net proceeds benefiting Students for a Free Tibet and the Tibet Action Institute.
    Michele Amabile Angermiller, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The bag is compact enough to fit under the seat in front of you on a plane, and can squish down easily to fit in odd spaces, like the Tetris-style trunk of a packed car.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2026
  • Long term, Šmits projects as a top-pair left-shot defenseman, which would fit nicely with the Rangers, who already have Adam Fox on the right side.
    Peter Baugh, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • International sales are handled by Fremantle with support from De Maio Entertainment.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 June 2026
  • In a highly unusual arrangement, the UFC has been handling much of the ticket access to the event, not the White House itself.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Serve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serve. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.

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