serve

verb

ˈsərv How to pronounce serve (audio)
Definition of servenext
1
as in to attend
to be a servant for he served his master faithfully for 20 years

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 King has served as principal at Brinker Elementary for the past two years, according to Plano ISD. — Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 Hershiser sees the legacy forged by Vin Scully, who served 67 seasons with the same franchise, and Jaime Jarrín, who served 64 years as its Spanish-language voice, as an obligation to bring his A-game every night. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson serve as executive producers; Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje are producers. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 Patrick Bresnan serves as the director of photography along with Sara Kinney. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for serve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serve
  1. attend
  2. suffice
  3. do
  4. treat
  5. act
  6. benefit
  7. fit
  8. handle
Verb
  • Just a few people attended Beloozerov’s funeral – a closed casket ceremony – at a Maryland cemetery in October 2024.
    — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • After that, Moore moved to London to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of attend
Verb
  • The list goes on; suffice it to say, there’s a wide gulf between Book Tumbleton and Show Tumbleton.
    — Josh Wigler, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Because of this, the majority of big-ship Alaska cruises require passengers to carry a passport, though there are some exceptions where a birth certificate can suffice.
    — Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of suffice
Verb
  • What person in their sane mind that’s not a Russian asset would do that?
    — Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Western Digital is talking about doing this with 12-14 disks in a drive.
    — Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of do
Verb
  • The Community Shield is often treated as little more than the traditional curtain-raiser to a new Premier League season.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Nvidia's new funding conduit aims to treat compute infrastructure as an investable asset class.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of treat
Verb
  • With the leading models becoming ever more powerful, their ability to act in malicious ways is turning into a major threat for corporations and governments, especially as the risk involves hacking into critical computer systems and infrastructure.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The short-term goal is to host performances by local country acts each month.
    — DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of act
Verb
  • The plan’s success, or lack thereof, can’t be determined until the end of the season, but Sutton on Friday certainly looked like a player who benefited from a couple of days of light work.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Visitors to the airport have been able to watch the trains in action, but travelers have yet to benefit.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of benefit
Verb
  • The perfect size for a daypack, this backpack is large enough to fit a decent amount, such as a book, large headphones, a sweater, snacks and a water bottle, alongside your basic essentials like your wallet, phone and keys.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The rubber surface can be sized to fit your paddle accordingly.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fit
Verb
  • The lawsuit argued that the new rules incorrectly preempt states’ powers to regulate how the interest generated by mortgage escrow accounts is handled.
    — P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Zaslav’s latest sale of 773,173 shares of WBD stock, for an aggregate market value of $21,655,292, was handled on his behalf by Fidelity Brokerage Services, according to a company filing with the SEC Thursday.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of handle

Browse Nearby Words

servants
serve
served
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Cite this Entry

“Serve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serve. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on serve

Nglish: Translation of serve for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about serve

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