serve out

verb

served out; serving out; serves out
: to complete (a term in office, a prison sentence, etc.)
He was unable to serve out his five-year term as chairperson.
She was allowed to serve out her sentence in a prison close to home.

Examples of serve out 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.
The person who wins the election will then serve out the rest of Parady’s term, which ends in July of next year. Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2026 University spokeswoman Megan Ondrizek Afkham said the second phase of Centennial Village opens in August and will serve out-of-town freshmen, who are required to live on campus. Miami Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 They’re all served out of trucks built from scratch in an industrial building on Anaheim Street next to the Los Angeles River. Jacob Sisneros, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026 She was appointed to serve out the remainder of Lindsey’s term, which ends in January. Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for serve out

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serve out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve%20out. Accessed 12 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