# serve someone right

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/serve-someone-right
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To happen to someone who is thought to deserve it.

## Examples

- He cheated on the test, so it serves him right.
- She ignored all the safety warnings and got hurt, which really serves her right.
- After he spent years sabotaging his colleagues to get ahead, his sudden dismissal served him right in the eyes of the entire department.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.