How to Use serve time in a Sentence

serve time

idiom
Definition of serve timenext
  • The pair would serve time in the same prison but never meet.
    — Caolán Magee, CNN, 6 Apr. 2023
  • These kids need to serve time to the fullest extent that the law allows.
    — Shawn Raymundo, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
  • Martin was in the jail in 2018 on his way to state prison to serve time on an assault charge.
    — Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2022
  • The judge ordered Mendez to serve time in custody, but then gave her credit for time served.
    — Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2022
  • Under the plea agreement, Ruggs will not serve time in the county jail.
    — Mark Inabinett | [email protected], al, 26 Jan. 2023
  • The judge said Sarkozy did not need to serve time in jail, and could instead serve the sentence by wearing an electronic bracelet at home.
    — Jemima McEvoy, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2021
  • The Stewarts will not have to appear in court, nor will they be required to pay any fines, or serve time in jail or on probation.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2021
  • The sentence is more than two and a half years in prison, though Mr. Imamoğlu hasn’t been arrested and may not serve time under a quirk in Turkish law.
    — The Editorial Board, WSJ, 16 Dec. 2022
  • As penance for dashing a child’s hopes, a rough-and-tumble hockey player must serve time as a genuine tooth fairy.
    — Ed Stockly, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2021
  • According to a campaign spokesman, Trump donors are lining up in substantial numbers to serve time in prison for him.
    — Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Two other defendants will serve time as well, with the first sentenced to four years and four months in prison under the Juvenile Criminal Code.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 May 2023
  • The sentence means Caldwell will not serve time in prison but will have to pay restitution and has been ordered to not act as a Medicaid provider, officials said.
    — Taylor Hartz, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2024
  • He was given three years deferred adjudication but did not serve time in prison.
    — Houston Chronicle, 13 Aug. 2020
  • And anyone convicted of a misdemeanor meriting jail time would serve time in the state’s troubled prison system, not a local lockup.
    — Michael Wines, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023
  • His probation was later revoked, sometime after the picture of him and Garth was posted online in January 2022, and he was ordered to serve time in state prison.
    — Carol Robinson | [email protected], al, 3 Jan. 2023
  • Of the cases reviewed in the white paper, Asian defendants who were convicted were more likely to serve time in prison, whereas about half of the defendants with Western names were given no prison time.
    — NBC News, 24 Sep. 2021
  • That means van der Sloot is scheduled to be released from Peruvian prison in 2045 and likely won’t return to the US to serve time for the federal charges after serving both sentences together.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN, 19 Oct. 2023
  • If sentenced to prison, Ms. Holmes would be the most notable female executive to serve time since Martha Stewart did in 2004 after lying to investigators about a stock sale.
    — New York Times, 3 Jan. 2022
  • Oropesa has a prior conviction in Montgomery County, Texas, for driving while intoxicated and was sentenced to serve time in jail for the offense.
    — Gina Martinez, CBS News, 2 May 2023
  • After serving his Connecticut sentence, Bretsanis was transferred to a New Jersey prison to serve time there for crimes committed there.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, courant.com, 24 Mar. 2022
  • Per local media reports, Boutonnat will not serve time in jail but is expected to live under house arrest with an electronic bracelet for the custodial year.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 June 2024
  • Kagan also emphasized the practical consequences for future litigants who have that right violated and, unlike Tekoh, are found guilty by a jury and serve time in prison.
    — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 4 July 2022
  • Tepera has yet to serve time after appealing that penalty but admitted to throwing behind Woodruff in retaliation for Cubs batters who were hit by pitches, in particular catcher Willson Contreras.
    — Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2021
  • About 200 people have been charged so far solely with misdemeanors - typically trespassing and/or disorderly or violent conduct in the restricted Capitol building or grounds - which usually do not require first offenders to serve time in prison.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'serve time.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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