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 It is expected Bowen will serve on the Fubo board of directors, pending approval at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders on July 28, 2026. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026 Tull, a Pittsburgh resident and lifelong baseball fan, is a minority owner of the New York Yankees and serves on the board of the Baseball Hall of Fame. — Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 July 2026 His wife, Martha, is currently serving a four-year term on the town’s board of selectmen. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026 In a clever nod to the regional speciality of porcelain, it’s all served on plates by local makers Bernardaud, decorated by the artist Marco Brambilla. — James Rampton, TheWeek, 9 July 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
  • Charlie Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, are expected to attend as weeklong preliminary hearing begins July 6.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Kirk’s parents and his widow, Erika Kirk, will attend this week’s hearing, a source familiar with the situation told CNN.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of attend
Verb
  • By next weekend, Djokovic would love to equal Federer's men's record of eight singles titles, but reaching the fourth round will have to suffice for now.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • If time doesn’t allow for spa treatments, a morning swim in the indoor pool accompanied by a sauna and cold plunge in one of their two thermal suites might suffice.
    — Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of suffice
Verb
  • The divergence is over whether the worker shortage is improving slowly or still getting worse, and what the Supreme Court should do about it.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The band is forced into doing take after take in his quest to fully convey his own emotions.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of do
Verb
  • The family, who had been living in DRC since 2021, was evacuated to Berlin, Germany, where Stafford was quarantined and treated in hospital.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The case is not being treated as a terror attack, investigators said.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 10 July 2026
Definition of treat
Verb
  • Mozeliak argues the team doesn’t need to tank to win, but rather act more like a big market team.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Maintenance inhalers are either long-acting airway dilators or anti-inflammatory medications like steroids that patients should take daily.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of act
Verb
  • At 14 songs and 62 minutes, the album would have benefited from trimming three or four of the more generic tunes.
    — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
    — Daniel Yue, The Conversation, 10 July 2026
Definition of benefit
Verb
  • The launch fits a familiar Silicon Valley pattern — ship products first, ask for forgiveness later.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • The interiors are fitted with the yard’s signature seascape windows, creating a light, airy atmosphere within.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 July 2026
Definition of fit
Verb
  • The groomer parks in your driveway or at your curb, brings your dog into the vehicle and handles the full appointment on-site.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
  • Demonstrators raised concerns that Levin-Richmond Terminal is ill equipped to handle the raw sugar.
    — Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 9 July 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 11 Jul. 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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