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 While traditionally this recipe was served on Mondays, break out your trusty slow-cooker and whip up this recipe any day of the week. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025 French pastry chef Yann Couvreur, whose patisserie is located a few blocks away in Wynwood, has created a dessert menu of French-Japanese desserts like a mango, coconut and passion fruit cake and black sesame ice cream topped with matcha and served with Liger’s chocolate chip cookie. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 Kohs also serves as an executive producer on the new film, alongside Erika Hampson. Jen Juneau, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025 This snowballing controversy over seemingly simple pieces of paper launched endless online arguments, dominated the news cycle, and gradually began to serve as a microcosm of the fathomless ideological rift among Americans, many of whom view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a zero sum game. Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serve
Verb
  • Besides Iran, North Korea, and Russia, heads of state or governments from more than a dozen other countries also attended the parade.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The number of students attending community college in the Cincinnati area is nearing the levels during the Great Recession.
    Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some things simply won’t suffice.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Ultimately, Sweet’s leadership through this restructuring has become a case study in navigating sweeping organizational change in an era when traditional corporate communication methods may no longer suffice.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Revord does the audio themself, and worked with a dialect coach to perfect British accents and learn how to act without facial expressions or gestures.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Trump has done less of this in his second term, preferring to twist arms and lobby lawmakers privately this time.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Mizzou students and fans treated Saturday’s game as a landmark event, selling out the stadium and tailgating hours before the gates opened.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
  • For example, doors open for the Soil to Fork Experience, where visitors learn about farming the Quintosapore way and are then treated to an outdoor lunch with a view of the hills and Città della Pieve in the distance.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Prioritize safety, stay informed, and act responsibly to protect lives and property.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The Madison stars Michelle Pfeiffer, who previously acted alongside Russell in 1988's Tequila Sunrise.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In general, seniors with high incomes would not qualify; lower income seniors who do not pay taxes would not benefit, either.
    Susan Tompor, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Primary bathrooms, where hair and buildup from products like dry shampoo can leave floors a mess, are another high-traffic area of the house that can benefit from regular sweeping.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The gift set is a small TIE Fighter with a hangar rack that fits into the main set.
    Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
  • One of the zippered pockets is even large enough to fit a passport, making these a great option for travel days as well.
    Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Kelsey Mitchell #0 of the Indiana Fever handles the ball during the first half of the WNBA game at PHX Arena on August 07, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
  • This student’s outbursts had been an ongoing issue for three years, and Elliot quickly realized that few teachers had received the necessary restraint training to handle this student.
    IndyStar, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Serve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serve. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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