How to Use serve in a Sentence

serve

1 of 2 verb
  • The roast should serve six.
  • Soup was served as the first course.
  • The waiter who served us was very nice.
  • Feel free to serve yourself at the salad bar.
  • You carve the turkey, and I'll serve.
  • The waiter served our meals quickly.
  • What can we do to serve our customers better?
  • I'm afraid all of our salespeople are serving other customers right now.
  • The restaurant serves excellent Italian food.
  • And his freestyle last night serves as a case in point.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2026
  • My job is to serve the customer.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Sep. 2025
  • When our nation calls us to serve.
    — CBS News, 24 May 2026
  • That is what the whole structure serves.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Once again, patience will serve you.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 June 2026
  • Coffee, tea, and light bites will be served.
    — News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026
  • So even if your wish doesn’t come true, your coin will serve a good cause.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Ryan will serve as an EP of the project.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Their dog, Rex, served two tours in Afghanistan.
    — J.d. Miles, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • These are Texans who served us.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The ground floor served as Kappe’s studio.
    — Hadley Meares, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
  • And best of all, these tools will serve both you and your kids well past third grade too.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024
  • At the end of the day, my job is to serve the people who watch the show.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Petite red potatoes serve as the base of the dish.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
  • None of that served any purpose in doing the scene.
    — Susie Essman, CBS News, 28 June 2026
  • Enough of that same classic cocktail to serve a crowd?
    — Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2025
  • An act of service for those who serve our country.
    — Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 15 June 2026
  • Pitcher cocktails are easy to make and serve.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Here are those who served in the judicial branch.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026
  • Fall has always served as a reset.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Spoon the pan juices over the meat just before serving.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026

serve

2 of 2 noun
  • She started the game with a powerful serve.
  • Sites are first come/first serve.
    — Graham Averill, Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Moves were first-come, first-serve.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Zverev won his first eight points on serve.
    — ABC News, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Zverev won his first eight points on serve.
    — Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
  • But her greatest serve was yet to come.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2025
  • But this was all about holding serve.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Four service games with two points lost on serve.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
  • And then there’s the soft serve that should never be skipped.
    — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
  • But the space works on a first-come-first-serve basis.
    — Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
  • If an ice cream run says summer, a trip to get soft serve screams it.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
  • Wash it all down a fresh citrus slushie that’s been swirled with soft serve.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Vacherot blasted a serve and a forehand and did not wilt.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • So, when Carbone aced the first serve in the third game?
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The game starts with an underhand serve cross court.
    — Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Stand behind the baseline on the right side to start your serve.
    — Machines Agency, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Oct. 2022
  • Eight of the courts are first-come, first-serve courts, and four are reservable .
    — Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Barlow’s homemade soft serve base shines on its own.
    — Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Players were given one serve per point, rather than two.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
  • Floats are fountain drinks dispensed over soft serve.
    — Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
  • To cut costs, buy a large tub instead of single-serve cups.
    — Lindsey Desoto, Health, 6 May 2026
  • Everyone at the top of the polls held serve while there were a few shifts.
    — Michael Casagrande | [email protected], al, 23 Oct. 2022
  • For those not wanting a soft serve, milk teas and ice teas are available.
    — Myah Taylor, Dallas News, 17 June 2023
  • She’s struggled with her serve and forehand.
    — Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The serve will also be defining.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The store also will sell Dole’s gluten-free and dairy-free soft serve.
    — Cheryl V. Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Sep. 2022
  • Check your kitchen for single-serve packets.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
  • And so is her blistering serve.
    — Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
  • The five quick-serve restaurants in the plaza bring unique flavors to the block.
    — Rae Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 10 Oct. 2022
  • The serve zones have been diagrammed.
    — Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'serve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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