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 Each one serves the surrounding community, and each one adds to the state's emergency-response capacity. John Ramos, CBS News, 30 June 2026 The Chicago Jewish Day School, a multi-denominational school that serves junior kindergarten through eighth grade, also reported rising enrollment, from 220 students in the 2024-2024 school year to 254 for the coming year. Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2026 This sophisticated system prevents metabolically expensive and functionally counterproductive perpetual growth, ensuring hair serves specific protective and insulating roles. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Shuman, who serves as showrunner, executive produces alongside Hermanus as well as Michael Ellenberg, Christina Malach and Lindsey Springer for Media Res, Aciman and Monica Levinson. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 June 2026 When trying to rebook, they were told there were no more British Airways flights to Dalaman, which serves as a gateway to some of Turkey's most popular beach resorts, for three days. Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026 Drawing upon the fine dining experience of both Chef Gabon and partner Celine Wuu (who deftly manages the floor), Naides serves an original interpretation of Filipino cuisine in the form of a stylishly modern tasting menu. Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 25 June 2026 For all their confidence that progressive Christianity won’t play in red states, however, Warnock serves as a powerful counterpoint. David Weigel, semafor.com, 24 June 2026 Part of that creative control was creating a 13-track LP that serves as a soundtrack to his life and interpolates viral Internet videos, pop-culture classics, and soulful collaborators. Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 24 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serves
Verb
  • Throughout the tournament, the Congolese have rallied around Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, a fan who attends matches as a living statue representing one of the country’s national heroes, assassinated independence leader and Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba.
    Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 27 June 2026
  • Meanwhile, in France, Kristen Stewart attends the 2026 Biarritz Film Festival.
    People Staff, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • But why buy brand new items when an old pillowcase suffices?
    Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 14 May 2026
  • That rationale for military power no longer suffices.
    Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • Mark Thompson does the costume and scenic design, with lighting by Howard Harrison.
    R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • The Pitt does this quite literally and very well.
    Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Supported by a gifted cast that includes Palestinian filmmaker Mohammad Bakri as a PLO commander, Riklis treats both sides with an equal amount of humanity and respect.
    Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • Ciba treats them not as sweet peripheral matter, but as records of reading under pressure.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • The soaring temperatures are caused by a heat dome — a vast area of stagnant high pressure parked over swaths of Europe, which acts like a lid on a pot, stubbornly trapping heat.
    Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 24 June 2026
  • For a person of 22 years of age, though, Gen acts like she’s seen and done it all.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The environment around Faugères, which benefits from the dry north wind off the Massif Central, certainly permits organic farming.
    Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • That status benefits both Google’s internal AI efforts and helps win outside customers — a lucrative one-two punch that figures into Jim Cramer’s admiration for the stock.
    Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • The Department of State, which handles visa applications from abroad, has not released its full 2025 data, but the numbers through September show a similar picture.
    Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • In Kansas City and Independence, each city’s health department enforces the food code while in Kansas, the state’s Department of Agriculture handles inspections.
    Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • That river cruise also functions as the spine of longer 9- to 15-night journeys that fold in Victoria Falls, the Cape Winelands, Cape Town, Kenya’s Maasai Mara, and Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 June 2026
  • No system in your body functions its best without proper hydration.
    Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Serves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serves. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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