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
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Recent Examples of serial
Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2024
This movie is about a detective who teams up with her estranged father, a chess master, to stop a serial killer who uses chess to pick his victims.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 30 Dec. 2024
Greg Evans, Deadline, 8 July 2024
In the first half of the 20th century, film serials — episodic movies that were more of a precursor to television episodes than films — like Fantomas, The Masked Marvel, and Flash Gordon, were popular forms of entertainment.
—Barry Levitt, Vulture, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for serial 
Adjective
The game’s serial structure also means a single adventure may be stretched out over weeks or months.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2024
This movie is about a detective who teams up with her estranged father, a chess master, to stop a serial killer who uses chess to pick his victims.
—Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
Returning to his roots in daytime soaps, Hardy was hired in 1983 as an executive producer of ABC’s Ryan’s Hope, a once-popular serial that had experienced dwindling viewership since its mid-1970s heyday.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 8 July 2024
In the first half of the 20th century, film serials — episodic movies that were more of a precursor to television episodes than films — like Fantomas, The Masked Marvel, and Flash Gordon, were popular forms of entertainment.
—Barry Levitt, Vulture, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for serial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serial
Noun
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Though originally the selections were made in-house, the editors soon cast a wider net by soliciting contributions from newspapers, trade periodicals, and fan magazines, collating the results, and giving front page coverage to the finalists.Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
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Value Line continues to focus on its core business of producing investment periodicals and related publications, while also benefiting from its non-voting revenues and profits interests in EAM Trust.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Here are the top stories: A newspaper from 1924 called dolls, ribbon boxes and school bags among some of the best holiday gifts for children.Stephanie Stremplewski, The Courier-Journal, 21 Dec. 2024
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In the 1950s and 1960s, newspapers tried to ignore the new medium.Tim Kiska, Detroit Free Press, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The journal Citizen Science: Theory and Practice is looking for abstracts for a Special Collection on citizen science in Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM).Bob Hirshon, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
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The research team’s findings were published in the journal Device this week.Alex Knapp, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Romantic dramas often get the short end of the acclaim stick, but casting this film in the comedy pool is an ironic twist of fate for a film (and book) that serve as cautionary tales about making hasty judgments.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Jan. 2025
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Eighty-eight books (and counting) later, a movie adaptation revisits the early work of a man whose audience changes every graduation season.hazlitt.net, hazlitt.net, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For her contribution to Japan’s #MeToo movement, Ito was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2020.Leo Barraclough, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
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Cotton Incorporated was an advertiser in the first-ever issue of Rivet Magazine launched in Spring 2016, and the organization has continued to support the magazine.SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Serial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serial. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
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