Definition of deserve
deserved
;deserving
transitive verb
: to be worthy of : merit deserves another chance
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
nounIndulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of deserve in a Sentence
the team really deserved that victory after the way they played
Recent Examples of deserve from the Web
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Health care is now seen as something everyone deserves.
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As the VA relies more on private providers for the provision of medical care, this increase in administrative staff adds more red tape and will not improve the clinical needs veterans deserve.
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Here's a list of albums which deserve to be regarded as crown jewels of one of rap's most prolific regions.
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What Seattle deserves is a great arena based on a great vision.
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Critics on social media, meanwhile, questioned whether British Airways deserved to claim itself as the U.K.’s flag carrier after the perpetual cutbacks.
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Opinions flowed like rosé, arguments flashed like paparazzi cameras, as the industry’s relationship to Silicon Valley, the fate of the old-school movie theater and the kind of screen content that deserves to be called art were discussed and debated.
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Every patient wants — and deserves — to win the Doctor Lottery.
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In the annals of the Trump era, May 25, 2017, will deserve a special mark.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deserve'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of deserve
Middle English, from Anglo-French deservir, from Latin deservire to devote oneself to, from de- + servire to serve
First Known Use: 13th century
DESERVE Defined for Kids
deserve
playDefinition of deserve for Students
deserved
;deserving
: to have earned because of some act or quality
Learn More about deserve
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See words that rhyme with deserve Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for deserve Spanish Central: Translation of deserve Nglish: Translation of deserve for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of deserve for Arabic speakers
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