Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

deserve

verb
Save Word
de·​serve | \ di-ˈzərv How to pronounce deserve (audio) \
deserved; deserving

Definition of deserve

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
Other Words from deserve Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about deserve

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from deserve

deserver noun

Synonyms for deserve

Synonyms

Visit the Thesaurus for More 

Examples of deserve in a Sentence

the team really deserved that victory after the way they played
Recent Examples on the Web The donation professionals who work with these families to make the most of donors’ gifts are integral and dedicated to the transplant process, and do not deserve to be treated as representatives of uncaring monopolies by our government. — David C. Mulligan, STAT, "CMS’s new rules on organ donation and transplantation ‘will bring chaos’," 23 Nov. 2020 That is not to say current drivers blessed with substantial financial backing throughout their lives do not deserve their seats. — Calum Trenaman, CNN, "Will we ever see another Formula One champion like Lewis Hamilton?," 17 Nov. 2020 Djamila Ribeiro, a political philosopher, said Mr. Bolsonaro did not deserve credit for the popular assistance program, which led to a significant reduction in poverty. — New York Times, "As Brazil’s Covid Crisis Eases, Bolsonaro Sees Rising Popularity," 16 Nov. 2020 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as Congress, also deserve a significant amount of blame, survey respondents said. — Sarah E. Gollust, The Conversation, "Poor US pandemic response will reverberate in health care politics for years, health scholars warn," 3 Nov. 2020 The nearly 73 million Americans and the majority of the Alaska electorate who voted for Trump deserve to see that the election was fairly conducted, Sullivan said during a call with reporters. — Alex Demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska Sen. Sullivan says Trump’s legal challenges contesting election results should be allowed to play out," 3 Nov. 2020 The department said the officers deserve protection just like any other crime victims. — Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, "Could Marsy's Law in Kentucky be used to keep secret the names of police in shootings?," 29 Oct. 2020 Montgomery said residents of the area deserve a safe community. — Sara Pagones, NOLA.com, "Year-long probe into Covington gang violence nets 18 arrests, DA Warren Montgomery says," 19 Oct. 2020 The American people deserve to know before the election. — Star Tribune, "Readers Write: Minneapolis 2040 plan challenge, vice presidential debate, bike lanes," 9 Oct. 2020

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.

See More

First Known Use of deserve

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for deserve

Middle English, from Anglo-French deservir, from Latin deservire to devote oneself to, from de- + servire to serve

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about deserve

Time Traveler for deserve

Time Traveler

The first known use of deserve was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Statistics for deserve

Last Updated

30 Nov 2020

Cite this Entry

“Deserve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserve. Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for deserve

deserve

verb
How to pronounce deserve (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of deserve

—used to say that someone or something should or should not have or be given something —often followed by to + verb

See the full definition for deserve in the English Language Learners Dictionary

deserve

verb
de·​serve | \ di-ˈzərv How to pronounce deserve (audio) \
deserved; deserving

Kids Definition of deserve

: to have earned because of some act or quality

Choose the Right Synonym for deserve

deserve, merit, and earn mean to be worthy of something. deserve is used when a person should rightly receive something good or bad because of his or her actions or character. A hard worker deserves to be rewarded. merit is used when someone or something is especially worthy of reward, punishment, or consideration. These students merit special praise. earn is used when a person has spent time and effort and gets what he or she deserves. You've earned a long vacation.

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on deserve

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for deserve

Nglish: Translation of deserve for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of deserve for Arabic Speakers

Comments on deserve

What made you want to look up deserve? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

distend

Listen to the pronunciation of distend

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Musical Words Quiz

  • gramophone
  • Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Syn City

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games