deserve

verb

di-ˈzərv How to pronounce deserve (audio)
Definition of deservenext
as in to earn
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment) the team really deserved that victory after the way they played

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deserve Fill with premium Vietnamese black peppercorns and German white rock salt for the finishing touch every cookout deserves. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 The public deserves clear lines of responsibility and recourse when that type of harm occurs. — Humayun Chaudhry, STAT, 3 Aug. 2026 Conservation groups say that with climate change, the Pacific marine monuments deserve the highest level of protection. — NPR, 3 Aug. 2026 Like anyone else, Grande deserves privacy while navigating her health, and freedom from cruel comments. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deserve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserve
earn
Verb
  • Jonathan Sirois made nine saves to earn his first clean sheet of the season as FC Dallas played LA Galaxy to a scoreless draw on Saturday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Despite earning a world title shot, Femi chose to challenge Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell to settle their score.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of earn

Browse Nearby Words

deserts
deserve
deserved
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deserve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserve. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deserve

Nglish: Translation of deserve for Spanish Speakers

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