serves

present tense third-person singular of serve
1
as in works (for)
to be a servant for he served his master faithfully for 20 years

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

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3
as in does
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
5
as in acts
to have a certain purpose the harsh punishment served to teach everyone a lesson

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6
as in benefits
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 serves According to Ibrahim, the market primarily serves Arab, Middle Eastern, Indian and Asian customers, though American shoppers have increasingly discovered the shop as well. — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026 Run by the art world’s favorite chef Mina Stone, the café serves an all-day menu of hearty salads, flavorful soups, Greek mezze and fancy toast. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026 Phong Duong, the company’s business director, also serves as a co-executive producer on the project. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026 The former choir loft serves as a private bar with a martini cart, while the church’s onetime playground is now home to a plunge pool and patio. — Mickey Rapkin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026 Baseball serves as a test platform for these underlying capabilities, with dexterous manipulation, the ability to handle objects skillfully and reliably, remaining the larger objective. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 Prada Group chairman Patrizio Bertelli ventured into sailing and the America’s Cup in 1997 and currently serves as president of Luna Rossa. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 Rosemary, the resort’s signature restaurant serves plant-forward cuisine that incorporates regional ingredients and spices. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026 PinkPantheress serves as an executive producer on their upcoming debut EP, out in November, Rolling Stone can reveal. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serves
Verb
  • Whether the man who holds the other seat attends the rally, however, is unclear.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Beth Kaiserman, who regularly attends the meditation group, sees the cemetery as a chance to demystify death.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Simply photographing the surface of the brain somehow suffices.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The majority explained that authority for the president to construct the ballroom requires satisfying both of those statutes; neither alone suffices.
    — Ellen P. Aprill, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • My job is to challenge whether the decision actually does that.
    — Ray R. Harris, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • While Pacific Neon now largely does LED sign work, reflecting a broad shift in the sign industry, veteran hands like Uroff, 70, can serve a valuable purpose when needed.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Dozens of other Halloween 2026 events in Metro Detroit are listed in the CBS News Detroit treats and scares roundup.
    — Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • None of this works if the founder treats the hire as the finish line.
    — Ken Paskins, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Dry mode acts as a dehumidifier, removing moisture from the air, and in Eco mode, the compressor and fan run at low speeds to conserve energy.
    — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Oxygen released from the barrier acts as an etching agent, suppressing unwanted crystal formation.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • But MacDonald said that, anecdotally, the payoff is that the dam removals restored a more free-flowing river that benefits fish and people.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The organization paying for it may also receive only part of its value, as when a hospital funds a system that benefits patients and insurers.
    — Hani Assi, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Netflix will stream it in Latin America, Spain and Portugal in 2027 following a theatrical run, while Luxbox handles international sales.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • That high smoke point is a big part of why tallow handles hot pans and deep fryers without breaking down.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Building governance in advance, before any specific deal requires it, produces something that functions because it was designed to function.
    — Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Many commercial leases and client contracts require proof of general liability coverage before a business can even sign, which often functions as a de facto requirement for many Kansas small businesses even without a state mandate behind it.
    — Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Serves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serves. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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