serviceable
adjective
ser·vice·able
ˈsər-və-sə-bəl 
2
: fit for use
a serviceable design
also
: of adequate quality
her serviceable but not exceptional voice —
Irving Kolodin
Irving Kolodin 
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Someone who speaks serviceable Spanish isn't fluent in it but gets by pretty well. A serviceable jacket is practical and maybe even rugged. But serviceable sometimes damns with faint praise. A serviceable performance is all right but not inspired. Serviceable curtains aren't the ideal color or pattern, but they serve their purpose. A serviceable pair of shoes is sturdy but won't win you any fashion points.
Examples of serviceable in a Sentence
I bought an old but still serviceable bicycle.
be sure to wear serviceable shoes if you're going to be walking on the rocks along the shore
Recent Examples on the Web
Dane Belton can be a serviceable backup, but again, there’s room for more depth at this spot.
—Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 2 May 2025
The tie-up is on the path toward creating Africa’s largest provider of the full range of DRE services with a combined coverage of 14 African nations and more than 15 million serviceable customers.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
But the hype around the match and the sheer emotional involvement of the audience, watching the WWE’s top star take on professional wrestling’s most celebrated icon, turns a serviceable match into pure electricity.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
Armstrong, however, remains an outlier in that there weren’t really any serviceable corners taken after him.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
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Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 2 May 2025
The tie-up is on the path toward creating Africa’s largest provider of the full range of DRE services with a combined coverage of 14 African nations and more than 15 million serviceable customers.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
But the hype around the match and the sheer emotional involvement of the audience, watching the WWE’s top star take on professional wrestling’s most celebrated icon, turns a serviceable match into pure electricity.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
Armstrong, however, remains an outlier in that there weren’t really any serviceable corners taken after him.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serviceable
Cite this Entry
“Serviceable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serviceable. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
serviceable
adjective
ser·vice·able
ˈsər-və-sə-bəl
1
: prepared for or capable of service : useful
2
: lasting or wearing well in use
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