serves

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in treats
to behave toward in a stated way my parents served me well in preparing me for life

Synonyms & Similar Words
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

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 serves The flood was a major blow to an enduring effort to modernize the pipeline that serves 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village. — Jamie Stengle, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 The flood hits water supply in the canyon The flood was a major blow to an enduring effort to modernize the water pipeline that serves visitors and the roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village. — Jamie Stengle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 In 1972, William Christopher joined the cast of M*A*S*H as Father John Mulcahy, the Catholic priest who serves as the Army chaplain. — Rachel Flynn, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026 In some ways, serves are the simplest shot to measure, given players start from a standstill and generally use the same technique over and over. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 31 Aug. 2026 The exhibit that has been set to kick off May 3 with the Met Gala was to be overseen by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s global editorial director who also serves as a Met trustee. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026 The 29-year-old Safiullin tested Alcaraz, winning the first game of every set and repeatedly returning the Spaniard’s serves. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026 Why bars and importers are paying attention Chloë Syrah Schwartz, vice president at wine and spirits importer and distributor VOS Selections, told Food & Wine that Dry January serves as an on-ramp for the industry itself. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026 She was also appointed locally to the Palm Beach County Housing and Finance Authority and serves as the chairwoman. — Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serves
  1. attends
  2. suffices
  3. does
  4. treats
  5. acts
  6. benefits
  7. handles
  8. functions
Verb
  • Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, district judge of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, attends a panel discussion at the annual American Bar Association (ABA) Antitrust Spring Meeting in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025.
    — Jeffrey Kopp, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Rooted in raw reality but told through poetic fiction, James Baldwin’s masterwork attends a day in the life of 14-year-old John Grimes and the awakenings, histories, and stories that shape his life.
    — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of attends
Verb
  • 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
  • Simply continuing your current savings strategy or leaving funds in a traditional savings account no longer suffices.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 30 July 2026
Definition of suffices
Verb
  • Here below, France’s own long-drink-of-water goalie Robin Risser does his best Beckham follow-on act with a stately Louis Vuitton carry-all with their trademark leather trim at the stress points.
    — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Fazio wants a bell-to-bell ban on cellphones in schools; so does Lamont.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of does
Verb
  • Well, time flies, because our bracket of cuteness has been narrowed down to one final matchup for all the marbles treats.
    — Rasputin Todd, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Sioux Falls regional water reclamation facility, which transports and treats wastewater from the city and surrounding communities is receiving $81 million in the budget.
    — Gabriel Brito, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of treats
Verb
  • Though stains on clothes can be permanent, the tomatoes' citric acid acts as a cleaning agent, often leaving Buñol’s streets cleaner than before.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • America votes, and three more acts progress to the semifinals.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of acts
Verb
  • There will be two Dan Sullivans on the ballot, which greatly benefits Democrats.
    — Amber Phillips, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The biggest change will land next year, when states with SNAP error rates of at least 6% must begin funding a percentage of the food benefits themselves.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of benefits
Verb
  • Taylor Farms works with hundreds of family farms for its produce and handles processing, packaging and distribution itself.
    — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • As a private entity, LifeWise handles its program independently, including parent opt-ins, locations, scheduling and student transportation.
    — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of handles
Verb
  • In April, software developer Noah Iarrobino released Carrier Pidge, which functions almost identically to Roost.
    — Greta Cross, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The New Mexico estate also functions as a working ranch, with a complete equestrian setup with 12 stalls, paddocks, a fenced arena, a hot walker, and a round pen.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of functions

Browse Nearby Words

servers
serves
service
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Cite this Entry

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

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