English Reference

Word

serviceable

Phoneticsser·vice·able

US/ˈsɝvəsəbəɫ/

UK/sˈɜːvɪsəbəl/

Definition

adj. good enough for the purpose it is used for. You use this to describe something that works well enough, even if it is not perfect or fancy.

adj. adequate for the purpose or task at hand; functional and effective, though perhaps not of the highest quality.

Examples

“The old car is serviceable but needs a new battery.”

“We found a serviceable hotel room at the last minute, even though it was a bit smaller than we expected.”

“While the initial design was aesthetically pleasing, the software proved to be serviceable for basic tasks, though it lacked the advanced features required for professional use.”

Examples

simple

“The old car is serviceable but needs a new battery.”

contextual

“We found a serviceable hotel room at the last minute, even though it was a bit smaller than we expected.”

complex

“While the initial design was aesthetically pleasing, the software proved to be serviceable for basic tasks, though it lacked the advanced features required for professional use.”

Real-World Examples

“These phones are still more than serviceable, and they have years of support left.”
Ars Technica · 19 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English servisable, from Old French servisable, from servise. By surface analysis, service + -able.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference