as in serialized
appearing in parts or numbers that follow regularly
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" first appeared as a serial novel from 1851 to 1852
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as in periodical
a publication that appears at regular intervals
the university library has a vast collection of serials
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of serial
Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Netflix’s bracingly nasty action-thriller Apex is a fine addition, plonking the star down in a rugged Australian landscape and throwing nature’s formidable might at her while stirring a psychotic serial killer into the mix.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
There’s long been interest in those accused of heinous crimes — serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer famously received numerous letters from fans while incarcerated.
—Lorena O'Neil, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serial
Adjective
When the drug haze occasionally lifts, Susie follows the bizarre serial killings of homeless opioid addicts in Los Angeles and fights with her father, attorney for Dick Sickler, whose pharmaceutical firm is largely responsible for the nation’s drug epidemic.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Netflix’s bracingly nasty action-thriller Apex is a fine addition, plonking the star down in a rugged Australian landscape and throwing nature’s formidable might at her while stirring a psychotic serial killer into the mix.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
While Star Wars has historically borrowed its tone from B-movies and swashbuckling serials, Rogue One brought a new, more serious approach to its subject matter.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Nov. 2025
There’s long been interest in those accused of heinous crimes — serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer famously received numerous letters from fans while incarcerated.
—Lorena O'Neil, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for serial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serial
Adjective
-
Most people live lives whose day-to-day features aren’t exactly gripping viewing and whose trajectories are difficult to squeeze into the structures and strictures of serialized television.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Stars like Florence Lawrence did not simply appear on screen—rather, their romances, scandals, and personal tragedies were shaped into serialized publicity, their lives turned into ongoing narratives designed to sustain public attention.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Amazing was part of a thriving genre of periodicals that included Astounding Stories of Super-Science (later Analog Science Fiction and Fact) and Galaxy Science Fiction.—
Chris Klimek,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Some work came as news through notices of what was happening in cities and towns through the local press and other coverage came through academic outlets or periodicals.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In December, his newspaper The Washington Post, against the wishes of staffers, launched an AI podcast feature that badly regurgitates its articles, with predictably disastrous results.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
30 Apr. 2026
-
He was born in Hawthorne, New Jersey, to big band musician Virgil Lozzi and Elizabeth Ann Rhodes, daughter of the New Jersey newspaper owner Raymond Lincoln Rhodes.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The news was posted to the Instagram account of the journal e-flux, providing no reasoning for the decision.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
This type of scenario could become a reality in the-not-too-distant future, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The list of notables the Showcase has presented over the years could fill a book — though the club’s North Star was always Segal’s beloved bebop.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Buy a copy of the Orlando Sentinel’s 150th anniversary book with 150 front pages from our 150 years.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Family photos spanning several generations, old pharmaceutical equipment, advertisements and promotional materials from years of business, and a framed Martha Stewart magazine feature are some of the items in the Woodsboro office that indicate the long legacy and evolution of the company.—
Gabriella Fine,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Apr. 2026
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From cheeky shots of celebrities like Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger to extravagant, sensual portfolios of America’s Olympic squads, the magazine’s pantheon of photographers have helped to define the genre of sports portraiture.—
Jonathan Pace,
Vanity Fair,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Serial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serial. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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