serviceable
Americanadjective
-
capable of or being of service; useful.
- Synonyms:
- functional, usable, effective
-
wearing well; durable.
serviceable cloth.
-
capable of being used, worn, cleaned, repaired, etc., easily.
adjective
-
capable of or ready for service; usable
-
capable of giving good service; durable
-
archaic diligent in service
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of serviceable
1300–50; service 1 + -able; replacing Middle English servisable < Middle French
Explanation
When something is serviceable, it's useful just the way it is. You might describe your rusty old car as perfectly serviceable if it always gets you where you need to go. If your eccentric grandmother insists on buying you a full-length fur coat, you could argue that all you need is a serviceable winter jacket — simply one that will do its job and keep you warm. On the other hand, you might long for a beautiful pair of leather boots despite having a serviceable pair of rubber galoshes. Serviceable was spelled the same way in Old English, although it originally meant "willing to be of service," and only later came to mean "usable or useful."
Vocabulary lists containing serviceable
List 7
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List 6
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Excerpts from and adaptations of "Twelfth Night"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The violin in Baerwald’s hands was the one his German-Jewish grandfather played as a Japanese prisoner of war in the Bandō camp at Tokushima during World War I. “It’s a very serviceable violin,” Baerwald notes.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
He has said that Trump has admiringly called him a "tough cookie" in private conversations, punctuating the point with a serviceable impersonation of the president.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Coherent, meanwhile, said its own serviceable addressable market could stand at more than $70 billion by the end of the decade.
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
That’s how long it took us to determine these sites were either already served or not serviceable at all.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
Even Rolling Pin Robert, pacing the halls outside, looks serviceable.
From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
