serve time

phrase

: to spend time in prison
serving time for drug possession

Examples of serve time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But court documents filed by Bussett in December allege that both victims and their families were told by the district attorney’s office that Butler would plead guilty and serve time at a juvenile facility in exchange for a youthful offender status. Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026 Lyman clung to the hope that her son’s case would be different, and that Kaur would serve time behind bars for the collision. Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Lifestyle icon Martha Stewart and Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling are just two of the more famous examples, with both having to serve time in prison for their crimes. D. Brian Blank, The Conversation, 29 June 2026 Unlike the rest of the individuals on this list, Hoffman did not serve time in jail or go years without access to a firearm. Jaclyn Diaz, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for serve time

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serve time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve%20time. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster