served with someone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "served with someone" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey a sense of being accompanied or associated with another person, but it lacks clarity and proper usage. Example: "The dish was served with someone who had a deep appreciation for fine cuisine."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Wasn't something gained, after all, by that big Pentagon review, which found that most people in the military — particularly those who have actually served with someone whom they believe to be gay or lesbian — really aren't worried about a repeal?

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Here are some numbers from the report: More than a third of the service members believed that they were currently serving with someone who was gay or lesbian, while two thirds said that they had at some point.

The New Yorker

You served with honor.

The New Yorker

"I struggle sometimes because I have tattoos," says Alex. "Some people don't want to be served by someone with a tat.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The labels are in different languages, you can't pronounce the grape varietal, and you wouldn't know what to serve with a Spatburgunder if someone put a corkscrew to your head.

Huffington Post

Williams romped, 6-2, 6-0, in 57 minutes, putting 87 percent of her first serves into play: a remarkable figure for someone who serves with such force and that bodes ill for anyone left in contention in Melbourne, Stephens included.

The New York Times - Sports

Even that stalwart of the all-night garage, the salted peanut, can be given a facelift by being toasted in a dry pan, then tossed with warm extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped rosemary or thyme leaves and the grated zest of half a lemon – leave cool and crisp up, then serve with all the pride of someone who has already hidden the KP wrapper at the bottom of the bin.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Jodi is someone I did serve with, and I do not want to see fail".

The New York Times

Add a few drops of food colouring into someone's milk and serve with a cookie.

WikiHow

The coordinated attacks served notice that someone with deep knowledge of the Iraqi oil industry has cast a malignant eye on its jugular.

The New York Times

It would not come without great personal risk, but the American people may only be served well if someone with a conscience is brave enough to leak the full report and hold the CIA accountable for its crimes once and for all.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "served with someone" in formal writing. Instead, use more precise and grammatically correct alternatives like "served alongside someone" or "worked with someone" to clearly convey the intended meaning.

Common error

Using "with" after "served" often implies accompaniment rather than shared service. To avoid this error, rephrase to specify the nature of the service or the relationship, such as "served alongside" or "worked with".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "served with someone" functions as a prepositional phrase, but its grammatical correctness is questionable. Ludwig AI indicates it's not standard written English. Its intended purpose is to describe a relationship of shared service or collaboration, although it does so imprecisely.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "served with someone" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and not standard English. As Ludwig AI points out, clearer and more precise alternatives like "served alongside someone" or "worked with someone" are preferable. While it appears in some news and informal contexts, its lack of precision makes it less suitable for formal writing. When using this phrase, consider whether a more specific alternative would improve clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

served alongside someone

This phrase emphasizes a collaborative or shared experience in service.

served together with someone

Similar to 'served alongside', but slightly less common.

worked with someone

This is a general alternative, indicating collaboration or employment with another person.

served in company with someone

This is a more formal and less common way of saying 'served with someone'.

was in service with someone

This option emphasizes the state of being in service, implying a formal arrangement.

served under someone

This phrase implies a hierarchical relationship where one person is in a subordinate role.

served as someone's assistant

This clarifies the role as being a helper or support to another person.

assisted someone in their service

This version makes the assistance role explicit and uses more formal language.

served in the presence of someone

This indicates that the service was carried out with someone watching.

served the same organisation as someone

Here, focus shifts onto the shared employer or purpose during service.

FAQs

What's wrong with saying "served with someone"?

The phrase "served with someone" is grammatically awkward and not idiomatic. It's better to use phrases like "served alongside someone" or "worked with someone" to indicate a shared role or experience.

Is "served with someone" ever correct?

While technically understandable, "served with someone" isn't considered standard English. It's preferable to use clearer alternatives depending on the context. If indicating teamwork, "collaborated with someone" might be suitable.

What can I say instead of "served with someone" to indicate military service?

In a military context, consider phrases like "fought alongside someone", "stationed with someone", or simply "served with someone" (if "alongside" or "together" is implied but not explicitly stated).

How does the meaning change if I say "served under someone" instead of "served with someone"?

Saying "served under someone" implies a hierarchical relationship where you were in a subordinate role, while "served with someone" suggests a more collaborative or peer-like relationship.