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 Recovered silica contributes to cement manufacture, while fibers and blade sections serve as reinforcement in concrete. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026 Kisbye most recently served as Senior Manager of Creative Development in MGM’s TV Scripted group. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026 The series will be written by Sonja Tarokić and Valentina Batalić, with Maja Fišter serving as the commissioning editor for HRT. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 Current Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara cannot seek another term after serving two terms. — Kenny Choi, CBS News, 13 Oct. 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
  • Based out of Chile and Los Angeles, the company has already invested up to $250,000 in development ahead of Mipcom, which Quijote head of strategy Sergio Karmy is attending.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Steve Sarkisian will not budge on this issue One of the primary reasons Manning chose to attend Texas was Sarkisian.
    — Mac Engel October 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of attend
Verb
  • Will movie nights and electric go-kart tracks suffice to keep CWG’s buildings full if, as some predict, AI renders large numbers of office jobs redundant?
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • An unlined park next to the school, which also includes a splash pad and a playground, has to suffice.
    — Mike McGraw, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of suffice
Verb
  • The makeup is top-tier, the Aaliyah swoop bang is swooping, and the jewelry accents stand out without doing too much, which is usually her weak spot.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • When the boy’s body turns up by a river, the wives’ sisterhood is split between doing what feels right and following their husband’s wishes and Islamic tradition.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of do
Verb
  • Rather than relying solely on conventional T cells, future treatments may be able to exploit gamma delta T cells to expose a vulnerability in a cancer that has proved exceptionally difficult to treat.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The hospital in question denied that Talarico had ever been treated there.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of treat
Verb
  • Fitoussi said the project began almost as a joke, with the idea of casting one of France’s busiest actors as someone who never gets to act.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Please have a plan in place should flash flooding develop and do not hesitate to act.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of act
Verb
  • The Salty, an artisanal doughnut chain, is running a weeklong campaign benefiting the Breasties, a nonprofit that helps many groups of people affected by breast cancer.
    — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In fact, making the effort to maintain friendships can benefit you too, says Ayers, who researches the science of friendship and how to maintain connections.
    — Renée Onque, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of benefit
Verb
  • Holden’s ear for beats has steadily improved to fit his breakneck delivery since 2022, peaking with 2025’s Mulberry Silk Road, which was primarily laced by German producer 2000 Souls and executive-produced by Marciano.
    — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Surely this fits McCutcheon’s criteria of adding names for doing significant things future generations should remember, since this donation reopened the monument after its public closure.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fit
Verb
  • Tippett’s team animated physical puppets, while ILM handled compositing and digital fire, smoke and explosions.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Needless to say, the system has to be robust enough to handle battlefield conditions, including electronic warfare and communications blackouts.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 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 18 Oct. 2026.

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