serve out
phrasal 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
Some of the 240 defendants who are still serving out their sentences could be released the same day.
—
Aishvarya Kavi, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025
Local Republican leaders supported a stand-in candidate named Greg Lopez, who promised to serve out the rest of the term and not run again.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
In a match in which the players created just 10 break points and converted three between them, Monfils broke at 4-4 in the fourth set before serving out.
—James Hansen, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
Trump, for better or worse, was officially voted in, inaugurated, and served out the entirety of his first four-year term.
—Ryan Smith, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for serve out 
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Aishvarya Kavi, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025
Local Republican leaders supported a stand-in candidate named Greg Lopez, who promised to serve out the rest of the term and not run again.
—Peter Hessler, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
In a match in which the players created just 10 break points and converted three between them, Monfils broke at 4-4 in the fourth set before serving out.
—James Hansen, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
Trump, for better or worse, was officially voted in, inaugurated, and served out the entirety of his first four-year term.
—Ryan Smith, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for serve out
Dictionary Entries Near serve out
Cite this Entry
“Serve out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serve%20out. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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