deserve

verb

de·​serve di-ˈzərv 

deserved; deserving

transitive verb

: to be worthy of : merit

deserves a medal

doesn't deserve a second chance

The idea deserves consideration.

They deserve to be punished.

intransitive verb

: to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital

… have become recognized as they deserve.

—T. S. Eliot

a worse punishment than he deserved

deserver noun

Synonyms of deserve

• earn

Examples of deserve in a Sentence

the team really deserved that victory after the way they played

Recent Examples on the Web

While box office success is uncertain against competition, it's touted as a cool blockbuster deserving a premium viewing experience. —Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

And that's exactly what this case deserves. —Matthew Davisson, CBS News, 19 June 2026

The album is both plea, polemic and protest, but its argument — that oppressed and working people deserve rights and dignity, and that those things have historically been won through rebellion and revolution — is hardly radical. —Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2026

All of us deserve to feel seen and represented on the big screen and to be able to buy tickets and see a film with our community, so my goal beyond the release is to be able to [create] more accessibility for representation like this. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 19 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deserven, disserven "to be worthy of, attain what one deserves," borrowed from Anglo-French deservir, desservir, deserver "to deserve, merit, earn, be entitled to" (also continental Old & Middle French), going back to Medieval Latin dēservīre "to serve, officiate (at mass), hold land by service, earn, deserve," going back to Latin, "to spend one's time in, devote oneself (to pursuits, interests), be submissive to, comply with," from dē- de- + servīre "to perform duties for (a master) in the capacity of a slave, act in subservience, be at the service of" — more at serve entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing deserve

• deserve a medal

Rhymes for deserve

• conserve
• manoeuvre
• observe
• preserve
• reserve
• subserve
• curve
• mirv
• nerve
• serve
• swerve
• verve

Kids Definition

deserve

verb

de·​serve di-ˈzərv 

deserved; deserving

: to be worthy of : merit

deserves another chance