serve

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

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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 Come dinnertime, waiters clad in starched jackets pour dry local wines and serve hearty portions of homemade pasta with a flourish. Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2025 In short, that means this film will not be serving as any sort of send-off situation. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 29 Sep. 2025 Bella’s — after Veliu’s grandmother’s nickname given by her husband — hopes to start serving customers sometime in November. Kansas City Star, 29 Sep. 2025 That’s why 16 million Americans served in World War II, and why 417,000 of them gave their lives to win it. Billy Ray, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serve
Verb
  • Utah Senator Mike Lee was scheduled to attend, but pulled out due to the government shutdown.
    Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Neytiri, Jake, Tonowari, and Ronal attend a watery council meeting of nine Tulkun whales, and Spider, a human capable of breathing on Pandora, is shown merging with Eywa.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If Evero and his defenders were looking to make a statement, that math should suffice.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2025
  • The status quo cannot, and will not, suffice.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Many of those that still produce a large share of their products in cities and towns such as Geneva, Vevey, and Zurich—like Nestlé’s Nespresso coffee arm, DSM-Firmenich, and heavy industrial equipment makers like ABB and Hitachi Energy—are unusual in being able to do so competitively.
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But, to do you any good, squeezing the veins must propel the blood in the right direction, toward the heart.
    Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • He was treated at the same facility as Nichols.
    Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Jillian, who police say had no involvement in the hit-and-run and was standing in her own yard, was later taken into custody and treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The wristbands also act as a communication device between players, allowing coordination across the grid.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Pending review of the documents, the two groups could file a derivative lawsuit, which allows shareholders to act on behalf of a company and sue the corporation’s own directors and officers, as well as other third parties who may have harmed the company.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One advantage wounded Israeli soldiers have benefited from is the proximity to the battlefield — evacuated from Gaza by helicopter within about an hour to the operating table of a top-notch hospital in Israel.
    Daniel Estrin, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
  • However, plants can develop sparse centers over time and may benefit from division after six or more years of growth.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The slim design fits easily into your carry-on or personal item, and the zip-around closure keeps everything secure.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2025
  • This method worked well for me, and the costume fit her well.
    Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Still, some industry critics have said Peloton's equipment isn't appropriate for gym settings because the machines can't handle higher frequency use, which prompted the company to create a more durable lineup.
    Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Democrats say health care protections must be preserved, while Republicans say that funding and policy should be handled separately.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Serve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serve. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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