deserve

verb

de·serve | \ di-ˈzərv

deserved; deserving

Definition of deserve

: to be worthy of : merit deserves another chance

: 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 Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about deserve

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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.

Examples of deserve in a Sentence

the team really deserved that victory after the way they played

Recent Examples on the Web

Everyone, mothers especially, deserve swift and effective mental health care. — Minhae Shim Roth, Glamour, "Postpartum Depression Treatment Made Me Feel Helpless—Women Deserve Better Options," 25 Mar. 2019 There’s also a wonderful garden by Ahmad Sardar-Afkhami that deserves its own story. — David Netto, Town & Country, "From "Coffin Storage" to Seaside Retreat: Inside an Incredible Home in Amagansett," 19 Mar. 2019 Mother’s Day is dedicated to our favorite person in the world who deserves just that, the entire world. — Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, "20 Mother's Day Instagram Captions to Celebrate Your Supermom," 14 Mar. 2019 These are serious arguments that deserve a thoughtful response in a book about the assault on expertise. — Barton Swaim, WSJ, "Politics: The Government We ‘Like’," 22 Feb. 2019 Here are eight other emergency landings that deserve your attention. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "8 Emergency Landings That Rival the 'Miracle on the Hudson'," 15 Jan. 2019 Timmer, like other Ars staffers, appreciated how the film took high-level scientific initiatives and discoveries that deserve more attention, then wrapped them in relatable teen stories: growing up, fitting in, and surviving a high-stakes contest. — Sam Machkovech And Nathan Mattise, Ars Technica, "Films for the discerning nerd: Ars picks the best of 2018," 27 Dec. 2018 Instead, One Day at a Time kept its focus on the Alvarez family, especially single mother Penelope (Justina Machado, in a performance that deserved to win at least one award) and her mother (the great Rita Moreno). — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "The 7 best TV shows of 2018," 26 Dec. 2018 Elegant, bespoke beds for the regal pup who deserves a palace—or at least a bed that's even cozier and fancier than your own. — Brittney Morgan, House Beautiful, "These Elegant Bespoke Dog Beds Are About To Become Your New Obsession," 31 Oct. 2018

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.