I took a serviette and wiped my fingers.
Source: tatoeba (11505398)
Serviette
/ˌsɜː.viˈɛt/
Synonyms for "serviette" (7 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: napkin, table napkin, broom, cleaning, device.
- Sentence evidence is available for serviette, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "serviette".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "serviette"
Keep "serviette" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "serviette" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "serviette", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "serviette" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
2 entriescloth napkinpaper napkin
Collocations
6 entriescloth serviettelinen serviettepaper servietteserviette etiquetteserviette holderserviette ring
Inflections
1 entriesSample sentences
7 total sentences available.
1887, “A Member of the Aristocracy”, Manners and Rules of Good Society; Or Solecisms to Be Avoided, 1999 facsimile edition, Angus&Robertson, page 116, She should unfold her serviette and place it on her lap. It is immaterial whether she places the bread on the right or left-hand side of the cover when taking it from the serviette. A gentleman should do the same with his serviette and bread, placing the one across his knees, and the other at his right or left hand.
Source: wiktionary
1914, Arnold Bennett, The Price of Love, 2005, Echo Library, page 40, And then, when the meal finally did begin Mrs. Maldon′s serviette and silver serviette-ring had vanished.
Source: wiktionary
Nature of goods.—Toilet paper, paper handkerchiefs, paper towels, paper serviettes and paper covers for lavatory seats, none being medicated.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "serviette"?
Closest matches include napkin, table napkin, broom, cleaning, device.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "serviette"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.