1
as in useful
capable of being put to use or account
be sure to wear serviceable shoes if you're going to be walking on the rocks along the shore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in available
capable of or suitable for being used for a particular purpose
a perfectly serviceable, if old, set of screwdrivers worked fine for repairing the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards
the acting was serviceable, although not particularly inspired
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 serviceable
Eller, meanwhile, has been a serviceable bottom-six center when healthy.
—
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
During the past 10 years, five quarterbacks — Mitchell Trubisky, Kyler Murray, the late Dwayne Haskins, Lance and Richardson — have been drafted in the first round with less than 20 career starts at the college level, and only Murray has been serviceable among them.
—Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Though the Chiefs didn’t win, Oladokun proved serviceable, completing 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards and rushing for another seven.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Dec. 2025
Instead of treating material-handling equipment as disposable, the system becomes upgradeable and serviceable — without expert intervention.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serviceable
Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
During the past 10 years, five quarterbacks — Mitchell Trubisky, Kyler Murray, the late Dwayne Haskins, Lance and Richardson — have been drafted in the first round with less than 20 career starts at the college level, and only Murray has been serviceable among them.
—Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Though the Chiefs didn’t win, Oladokun proved serviceable, completing 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards and rushing for another seven.
—Kansas City Star, 22 Dec. 2025
Instead of treating material-handling equipment as disposable, the system becomes upgradeable and serviceable — without expert intervention.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serviceable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serviceable
Adjective
-
Hoekstra spent 15 years at Herman Miller absorbing lessons that would prove useful far beyond furniture sales.—
Karl Moore,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
An outmoded concept, evil was baggage from a pre-modern age, the least useful way to interpret bad behavior.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Flight inventory is usually available, but prices spike close to departure.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
When more people want to live somewhere than there are homes available, prices go up.—
J.D. Hayworth,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Versions offered by government officials and the family’s attorney and neighbors offer contradictory versions of whether the parents were given adequate opportunity to leave the child with someone else.—
Valerie Gonzalez,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
-
These stand out amid the otherwise adequate effects, which simply get the spurting, spewing job done.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This is where our downturn resilience framework is applicable.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Below is a running list of restaurants and bars we've been told are open, along with their adjusted hours, if applicable.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Today, there are 33 operable reactors, but only 15 are currently running, including Kashiwazaki-Kariwa.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Jan. 2026
-
ATMs at banks should remain operable.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The money could also help towards landing Alvarez, but alternatively perhaps acquire a decent full back available at a cut rate considering Joao Cancelo is only in Catalonia on loan too.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The Huskies have decent depth at the position in three-star incoming freshman Bo Polston, who was the first of several players to flip his commitment from Toledo, and Tucker McDonald, who pulled his name from the portal to stay in Storrs for his redshirt junior season.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
On that note, PESCO-UP is led by VTT, the largest research and technology company and research center in Finland, conducting applied research.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Then, Miller placed his hands around her neck and applied pressure, causing the woman to experience difficulty breathing, a court document states.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Air quality is satisfactory and air pollution poses little or no risk.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
15 Jan. 2026
-
And yet no analytical framework ever yields a fully satisfactory result.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Serviceable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serviceable. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
